Spanish usually uses “fregadero” for a kitchen sink, “lavabo” for a bathroom sink, and “hundir(se)” for the action of sinking.
“Sink” is one of those English words that wears a lot of hats. It can be a thing you wash dishes in. It can be an action in water. It can even show up in phrases that have nothing to do with plumbing or boats.
Spanish doesn’t squeeze all of that into one word. Instead, it chooses a different term for each meaning. Once you match the meaning to the Spanish word, it gets easy fast.
Why “Sink” Has More Than One Spanish Translation
Spanish tends to name objects and actions with more specific words than English. So when you say “sink,” the listener needs a clue: Are you talking about the basin in a room, or the act of going down?
Start by asking yourself one quick question: Is “sink” a thing or an action in your sentence? That single step usually gets you the right Spanish option on the first try.
What Is ‘Sink’ in Spanish? With Real-World Meanings
If you mean the fixture that holds water, you’ll usually pick fregadero, lavabo, or sometimes pileta, depending on the room and the region. If you mean the action, you’ll usually pick hundir or hundirse.
The rest of this article shows when each word fits, plus common phrases where English “sink” turns into something else in Spanish.
Kitchen Sink: “Fregadero”
Fregadero is the most common choice for “kitchen sink” in many places. It’s tied to washing dishes, pots, and food prep mess.
- El fregadero = the kitchen sink
- Enjuagar en el fregadero = rinse in the kitchen sink
Example sentence: Deja los platos en el fregadero. (Leave the dishes in the sink.)
Bathroom Sink: “Lavabo”
Lavabo is widely used for a bathroom sink, the one you use for washing hands, brushing teeth, and getting ready.
- El lavabo = the bathroom sink
- El grifo del lavabo = the sink faucet
Example sentence: El jabón está al lado del lavabo. (The soap is next to the sink.)
Wash Basin And Laundry Sink: “Pila” Or “Pileta”
In some regions, you’ll hear pila or pileta for a basin used for washing clothes, mopping supplies, or utility cleaning. In others, pileta can mean a small pool, so context matters.
Example sentence: Lava el trapeador en la pila. (Wash the mop in the sink/basin.)
Sink (Go Down In Water): “Hundir(se)”
For the action “to sink,” Spanish often uses hundir (to sink something) and hundirse (to sink, by itself).
- Hundir = make something sink
- Hundir(se) = sink (it goes down)
Example sentence: El barco se hundió. (The boat sank.)
Example sentence: Hundió la pelota en el agua. (He sank the ball in the water.)
Sink In (Mentally): “Calárselo” Or “Darse Cuenta”
English “sink in” is often about a thought landing. Spanish usually doesn’t use hundir here. You’ll hear options like caer en la cuenta or darse cuenta, depending on the sentence.
Example sentence: Me di cuenta de lo que pasó. (It sank in / I realized what happened.)
Example sentence: Tardé un rato en caer en la cuenta. (It took me a while for it to sink in.)
Quick Pick Chart For “Sink” Meanings
If you want a fast match, use this chart by meaning. Then check the examples that follow so it sounds natural.
Table #1 (broad, in-depth, 7+ rows)
| English “Sink” Meaning | Common Spanish Word | Typical Place Or Use |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen sink (fixture) | Fregadero | Kitchen, dishes, food prep cleanup |
| Bathroom sink (fixture) | Lavabo | Bathroom, handwashing, brushing teeth |
| Utility / laundry basin | Pila / pileta | Washing clothes, mop bucket cleaning |
| To sink (something) | Hundir | Cause an object to go down in water |
| To sink (by itself) | Hundir(se) | Boat, coin, object goes down on its own |
| To sink in (realize) | Darse cuenta | A fact lands; you realize something |
| To sink in (slow realization) | Caer en la cuenta | It takes time for a point to land |
| Sinkhole | Socavón | A hole in the ground from collapse |
| Heat sink (electronics) | Disipador de calor | Computer parts, cooling components |
How To Use “Fregadero” Naturally In Spanish
Fregadero is masculine: el fregadero. If you want “in the sink,” you’ll often say en el fregadero.
Common pairings include verbs like lavar (wash), enjuagar (rinse), and dejar (leave).
Useful Phrases With “Fregadero”
- El fregadero está lleno. (The sink is full.)
- Pon eso en el fregadero. (Put that in the sink.)
- Se tapó el fregadero. (The sink got clogged.)
Clogged Sink Words You’ll Hear
“Clogged” often becomes tapado or atascado, depending on the region. “To unclog” is often destapar.
Example sentence: Necesito destapar el fregadero. (I need to unclog the sink.)
How To Use “Lavabo” Without Sounding Odd
Lavabo is masculine too: el lavabo. It’s strongly linked to bathrooms, so it can sound strange in a kitchen sentence unless you mean a bathroom-style basin in a different spot.
If you’re labeling a room feature in Spanish, lavabo is the safe pick for “bathroom sink” in many areas.
Useful Phrases With “Lavabo”
- Lávate las manos en el lavabo. (Wash your hands in the sink.)
- El espejo está sobre el lavabo. (The mirror is above the sink.)
- El lavabo gotea. (The sink is dripping.)
How To Use “Hundir” And “Hundir(se)” Correctly
Spanish marks who causes the sinking. If something sinks by itself, you’ll usually use the reflexive form: hundirse.
If a person causes it, you’ll usually use hundir with a direct object.
Two Patterns That Save You
- Subject + se hunde: La piedra se hunde. (The rock sinks.)
- Person + hunde + object: Hundí la piedra. (I sank the rock.)
Past Tense Examples You’ll Actually Use
Example sentence: El bote se hundió cerca de la orilla. (The boat sank near the shore.)
Example sentence: Hundimos el ancla y esperamos. (We sank/lowered the anchor and waited.)
Extra Meanings: When “Sink” Turns Into A Different Spanish Word
Some English “sink” uses are tied to a specific field. Spanish often has a fixed term for those, and translating word-for-word can sound off.
Sinkhole
A “sinkhole” is often socavón. In news writing you may also see sumidero in some contexts, yet socavón is a common, clear choice.
Example sentence: Apareció un socavón en la calle. (A sinkhole appeared in the street.)
Heat Sink
In electronics, “heat sink” is usually disipador de calor. It’s the metal piece that pulls heat away from a chip.
Example sentence: El disipador de calor está suelto. (The heat sink is loose.)
Sink (Sports Shot)
In sports, “sink a shot” often becomes a verb like encestar (basketball) or meter (score/put in).
Example sentence: Encestó el tiro. (He sank the shot.)
Common Mistakes Learners Make With “Sink”
Most errors happen when someone grabs the first translation they saw and uses it for every case. Here are the traps that show up a lot.
Mixing Up “Lavabo” And “Fregadero”
If your sentence has plates, pans, or food scraps, fregadero will usually fit better. If your sentence has toothpaste, a mirror, or hand soap, lavabo will usually fit better.
Using “Hundir” For “Sink In”
“It sank in” usually points to realizing something. Using hundir there can confuse the listener, since it suggests a physical sinking.
Try me di cuenta or caí en la cuenta for that mental meaning.
Forgetting The Reflexive “Se”
El barco hundió sounds like the boat sank something else. If the boat is the one going down, you’ll usually want El barco se hundió.
Regional Notes You Might Hear In Real Life
Spanish varies by country and even by city. You may hear different words for a basin. That doesn’t mean one is “wrong.” It means people label the same object with local vocabulary.
If you’re writing for broad readers, fregadero and lavabo are widely understood. If you’re speaking with locals, listen for what they say at home and match it.
Mini Practice: Pick The Right “Sink” In Spanish
Try these in your head first, then check the answers right under them.
- “Put the cups in the sink.”
- “The ship sank last night.”
- “Wash your hands in the sink.”
- “It took a moment for it to sink in.”
Answers
- Pon las tazas en el fregadero.
- El barco se hundió anoche.
- Lávate las manos en el lavabo.
- Tardé un rato en caer en la cuenta.
Fast Reference: Which Word Should You Choose?
Table #2 (after 60%)
| If You Mean… | Say… | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Sink where you do dishes | El fregadero | Está en el fregadero. |
| Sink where you wash hands | El lavabo | Está junto al lavabo. |
| Something goes down in water | Se hunde / se hundió | La piedra se hundió. |
| You cause it to go down | Hundir | Hundí la pelota. |
| A realization lands | Darse cuenta | Me di cuenta. |
| A slow realization lands | Caer en la cuenta | Caí en la cuenta. |
One Last Tip Before You Write It
When you translate “sink,” don’t translate the letters. Translate the meaning. Decide whether you’re talking about a fixture, an action in water, or a phrase about realizing something. Then pick the Spanish word that matches that meaning and your sentence will sound natural.