How to Say "water closet" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “water closet” is “retrete” — B1 level.
Examples
El retrete de este hotel está muy limpio.
The toilet in this hotel is very clean.
Tira de la cadena del retrete después de usarlo.
Flush the toilet after using it.
Se me cayeron las llaves dentro del retrete por accidente.
I accidentally dropped my keys inside the toilet bowl.
Gender Memory Aid
Even though it ends in 'e', 'retrete' is masculine. Think of 'el retrete'. Most words for bathroom fixtures in Spanish are masculine.
Physical Object vs. Room
Use 'retrete' when talking about the actual porcelain object. If you want to ask for the location of the bathroom in a house or restaurant, 'baño' or 'aseo' sounds more natural.
The 'Bathroom' Confusion
Mistake: “Asking '¿Dónde está el retrete?' in a fancy dinner party.”
Correction: Ask '¿Dónde está el baño?' or '¿Dónde está el servicio?'. 'Retrete' can sound a bit too direct or clinical in polite social situations.
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