Inklingo

How to Say "vessel" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “vessel” is “olla” — use 'olla' when referring to a pot or cooking container used in the kitchen for liquids..

English → Spanish

olla

/OY-yah//ˈoʝa/

nounA1general
Use 'olla' when referring to a pot or cooking container used in the kitchen for liquids.
A large, round ceramic cooking pot with two handles and a lid, sitting on a wooden surface.

Examples

Pon la olla en el fuego para hervir el agua.

Put the pot on the stove to boil the water.

Necesito una olla más grande para la sopa.

I need a bigger pot for the soup.

Feminine Noun

Even though it ends in 'a', just remember to always use 'la' before it: 'la olla'.

Olla vs. Sartén

Mistake: “Using 'olla' for frying an egg.”

Correction: Use 'olla' for boiling or making soups, and 'sartén' for frying or making omelets.

nave

/NAH-beh//ˈna.βe/

nounB1formal
Use 'nave' for a large watercraft like a ship or boat, or for a spacecraft.
A large, sleek blue and white spaceship flying through the dark expanse of space, surrounded by stars.

Examples

La nave espacial despegó hacia Marte.

The spaceship took off towards Mars.

El pirata comandaba una nave muy rápida.

The pirate commanded a very fast ship.

Vimos una enorme nave de carga en el puerto.

We saw a huge cargo ship in the port.

It's a Feminine Noun

Even though it doesn't end in '-a', 'nave' is a feminine word. So you'll always use 'la nave' or 'una nave'.

'Nave' vs. 'Barco'

Mistake: “Using 'nave' for a small fishing boat.”

Correction: Use 'barco' or 'bote' for smaller boats. 'Nave' sounds big, like a cargo ship, a cruise ship, or a spaceship.

Confusing Pots with Ships

Learners often mistakenly use 'nave' for kitchen pots, when 'olla' is the correct term. Remember that 'nave' refers to larger vehicles like ships or spacecraft, while 'olla' is a common household cooking pot.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.