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How to Say "throttle" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “throttle” is “acelerador” — use 'acelerador' when referring to the gas pedal in a car or other vehicle..

English → Spanish

acelerador

/ah-seh-leh-rah-dor//aseleɾaˈðoɾ/

nounA2mechanical control
Use 'acelerador' when referring to the gas pedal in a car or other vehicle.
A close-up illustration of a foot pressing down on a car's gas pedal.

Examples

Pisa el acelerador con cuidado para no salir disparado.

Press the gas pedal carefully so you don't zoom off.

El coche no responde bien cuando suelto el acelerador.

The car doesn't respond well when I let go of the accelerator.

Tuvimos que cambiar el cable del acelerador porque estaba gastado.

We had to change the throttle cable because it was worn out.

Masculine Word Ending

Words in Spanish ending in '-dor' are almost always masculine, so you will use 'el' or 'un' with them.

Action to Noun Pattern

The ending '-dor' is like the English '-er'. It turns the action 'acelerar' (to speed up) into the tool that does it: 'acelerador'.

Using 'Gas' for the pedal

Mistake: “Pisa la gasolina.”

Correction: Pisa el acelerador.

gas

/gas//ɡas/

nounB1motorcycle/engine control
Use 'gas' when talking about the throttle control on a motorcycle or a general engine.
A person's foot wearing a shoe pressing down firmly on a gray accelerator pedal inside a car.

Examples

¡Pisa el gas si quieres llegar a tiempo!

Step on the gas if you want to arrive on time!

Quitó el pie del gas al ver la luz roja.

He took his foot off the accelerator when he saw the red light.

Car Pedal vs. Motorcycle Throttle

Learners often confuse 'acelerador' and 'gas' by using them interchangeably. Remember that 'acelerador' specifically refers to the pedal in a car, while 'gas' is more common for the twist grip on a motorcycle or a general engine control.

Related Translations

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