How to Say "to overflow" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to overflow” is “desbordar” — use 'desbordar' when a liquid, like a river or a full sink, rises above its normal limits and spills out..
desbordar
/des-bor-dar//dezβoɾˈðaɾ/
Examples
El río se desbordó después de la tormenta.
The river overflowed after the storm.
Ten cuidado con el café, se va a desbordar.
Be careful with the coffee, it's going to spill over.
El agua empezó a desbordar por los bordes de la piscina.
The water began to overflow over the edges of the pool.
Using the 'Reflexive' form
When a liquid overflows on its own due to nature or accident, we usually add 'se' (desbordarse). For example: 'El río se desbordó'.
Desbordar vs. Rebosar
'Desbordar' is usually used for physical edges or limits, while 'rebosar' often emphasizes that something is so full it can't hold anymore.
Using 'con' for 'with'
Mistake: “El vaso desborda con agua.”
Correction: El vaso desborda agua (or 'rebosa de agua'). In Spanish, we often just use the object directly without 'con'.
derramar
/deh-rrah-MAHR//deraˈmaɾ/
Examples
Ten cuidado, no derrames el agua.
Be careful, don't spill the water.
Se me derramó el café en la camisa.
I spilled my coffee on my shirt (it happened to me by accident).
El camión derramó toda la arena en la calle.
The truck spilled all the sand on the street.
The 'Accidental' Se
To say 'I spilled the milk' by accident, use 'Se me derramó la leche.' This structure makes it sound like it happened to you, rather than you doing it on purpose.
Spilling the beans
Mistake: “No derrames los frijoles.”
Correction: No cuentes el secreto. 'Derramar' is for physical objects, not for sharing secrets like the English idiom 'spill the beans.'
Spilling vs. Rising Over
Related Translations
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