Inklingo

How to Say "wine cellar" in Spanish

English → Spanish

bodega

boh-DEH-gahboˈðeɣa

nounB1general
Use 'bodega' when referring to a place specifically designed for aging wine, often underground, or when talking about the entire winery or establishment.
A cool, dark interior of a wine cellar showing rows of large wooden barrels stacked high, used for aging wine.

Examples

La familia ha estado produciendo vino en su propia bodega por generaciones.

The family has been producing wine in their own winery for generations.

Visitamos una bodega antigua en La Rioja para probar el vino.

We visited an old winery in La Rioja to taste the wine.

El vino tiene que madurar en la oscuridad de la bodega.

The wine has to mature in the darkness of the cellar.

Feminine Noun

Since 'bodega' ends in '-a', it is a feminine word, so you must use 'la' or 'una' before it.

cava

KAH-bahˈkaβa

nounB1general
Opt for 'cava' when referring to a general underground space or room used primarily for storing wine, rather than the entire production facility.
A cozy underground room with stone walls holding many wooden racks filled with wine bottles.

Examples

Guardamos las botellas de vino tinto en la cava fresca del sótano.

We keep the red wine bottles in the cool cellar of the basement.

Bajamos a la cava para elegir un vino especial.

We went down to the wine cellar to choose a special wine.

La cava de este restaurante es impresionante.

This restaurant's wine cellar is impressive.

Es necesario mantener la cava a una temperatura constante.

It is necessary to keep the cellar at a constant temperature.

The Importance of 'La'

Use the feminine 'la' when referring to the room or the cellar itself. This helps distinguish the location from the drink.

Cava vs. Cueva

Mistake: “Using 'cava' for a bat cave.”

Correction: Use 'cueva' for natural rock formations; use 'cava' for man-made storage cellars, specifically for wine.

Bodega vs. Cava

Learners often confuse 'bodega' and 'cava' because both relate to wine storage. Remember that 'bodega' can also mean 'winery' or 'wine shop,' making it broader than 'cava,' which is typically just the storage room itself.

Related Translations

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