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How to Say "tower" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “tower” is “torre” — use 'torre' for a tall, standalone structure like a building, a military watchtower, or the main unit of a desktop computer..

English → Spanish

torre

TOH-rreh/ˈto.re/

nounA1general
Use 'torre' for a tall, standalone structure like a building, a military watchtower, or the main unit of a desktop computer.
A tall, cylindrical stone tower with battlements at the top, reaching high into a blue sky.

Examples

La torre de control del aeropuerto es muy alta.

The airport's control tower is very tall.

La Torre de Pisa se está inclinando.

The Tower of Pisa is leaning.

Hay una torre de vigilancia en la entrada del puerto.

There is a watchtower at the entrance to the port.

Desde lo alto de la torre se puede ver toda la ciudad.

From the top of the tower, you can see the whole city.

Gender Rule

Even though many words ending in '-e' can be masculine, 'torre' is always feminine. Remember to use 'la' or 'una' with it.

Modern Usage

This meaning is a modern extension of the idea of a tall, vertical structure. It refers to the main box that holds the computer's components.

Incorrect Article

Mistake: “El torre es alta.”

Correction: La torre es alta. (Always use the feminine article 'la'.)

torre

nounB2technical
Use 'torre' to refer to the physical casing or desktop unit of a computer.

Examples

Necesito limpiar el polvo de la torre de mi PC.

I need to clean the dust from my PC's tower.

castillo

/kas-TEE-yo//kasˈtiʝo/

nounB1games
Use 'castillo' exclusively when referring to the rook chess piece.
A single, white chess rook piece, stylized with a cylindrical body and crenelated top, resting on a dark wooden surface.

Examples

El jugador avanzó su castillo para amenazar al oponente.

The player advanced his rook to threaten the opponent.

El jugador movió su castillo para proteger al rey.

The player moved his rook to protect the king.

Confusing Chess Rooks with Buildings

The most common mistake is using 'torre' for the chess piece instead of 'castillo'. Remember that 'castillo' is the specialized term for the rook in chess, while 'torre' refers to actual towers or the computer casing.

Related Translations

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