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How to Say "spill" in Spanish

English → Spanish

derrame

/deh-rrah-meh//deˈrame/

nounB1general
Use 'derrame' when referring to liquid, like water, oil, or chemicals, accidentally escaping from its container and spreading.
A glass of milk tipped over on a table with a white puddle spreading around it.

Examples

Hubo un derrame de aceite en la cocina.

There was an oil spill in the kitchen.

El derrame de petróleo afectó a las aves marinas.

The oil spill affected the sea birds.

Pusimos arena sobre el derrame para que nadie se resbalara.

We put sand on the spill so no one would slip.

Masculine 'E' Noun

Even though many words ending in 'e' can be tricky, 'derrame' is always masculine (el derrame).

Using 'Derrame' for rain

Mistake: “Hubo un derrame de lluvia.”

Correction: Hubo una lluvia fuerte. 'Derrame' usually implies an accident or something escaping a container.

caída

nounA2general
Use 'caída' when referring to an accidental fall, whether it's a person falling down, or an object falling from a height, or even a drop in numbers.

Examples

Después de la caída, revisamos si se había roto algo.

After the fall, we checked if anything was broken.

Confusing 'derrame' and 'caída'

The most common mistake is using 'caída' for liquid spills. Remember, 'derrame' specifically means a spill of liquid or other substances, while 'caída' refers to a fall or a drop.

Related Translations

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