What is the difference between lavabo, lavamanos, and pileta?

All three refer to a bathroom sink, but usage depends on region. Lavabo is standard in Spain and understood everywhere. Lavamanos is preferred in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Central America, and much of South America. Pileta is Argentinian and also covers swimming pools and large basins. When in doubt, lavabo is the safest universal choice.

How do you say 'kitchen sink' versus 'bathroom sink' in Spanish?

The kitchen sink is a fregadero (Spain, Mexico, Central America) or lavaplatos (Colombia and other Andean countries). The bathroom sink is a lavabo or lavamanos. Spanish distinguishes between these fixtures more clearly than English does, which uses 'sink' for both. Knowing which word to use prevents confusion when shopping for fixtures or calling a plumber.

How do you describe a clogged sink in Spanish?

A clogged sink is a lavabo tapado or lavamanos tapado (in Latin America) and lavabo atascado (in Spain). The verbs destapar (to unclog) and desatascar (to unblock) describe the fix. You might tell a plumber: el lavamanos del baño está tapado y el agua no baja (the bathroom sink is clogged and the water won't drain).

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

BATHROOM SINK in Spanish: LAVABO

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Lavabo · noun · lah-VAH-boh

A bathroom sink is called lavabo in Spain and much of the Spanish-speaking world, while lavamanos is the preferred term across most of Latin America. In Argentina, pileta (basin) is common. All three words refer to the same fixture—a basin with a faucet used for washing hands and face in a bathroom. The kitchen sink, by contrast, is typically called fregadero or lavaplatos.

lah-VAH-boh

El lavabo del baño tiene una fuga que necesita reparación.

The bathroom sink has a leak that needs repair.

Bathroom Sink in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for bathroom sink, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
lavabo	bathroom sink	lah-VAH-boh	Default, widely understood
lavamanos	bathroom sink		Latin America — widely used
pileta	bathroom sink		Argentina — also used for pools and basins

How Native Speakers Use Lavabo

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Home maintenance

El plomero vino a arreglar el lavamanos que estaba tapado.

The plumber came to fix the bathroom sink that was clogged.

Lavamanos is the go-to term in most of Latin America.

Shopping for fixtures

Estamos buscando un lavabo moderno de cerámica para el baño nuevo.

We're looking for a modern ceramic bathroom sink for the new bathroom.

Lavabo is standard in Spain and in product catalogs.

Daily routine

Me lavo las manos en la pileta del baño cada vez que llego a casa.

I wash my hands in the bathroom sink every time I get home.

Pileta is common in Argentina for the bathroom basin.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Lavabo

Using fregadero for bathroom sink

Incorrect: Me lavo la cara en el fregadero del baño.

Correct: Me lavo la cara en el lavabo del baño.

Fregadero refers specifically to the kitchen sink where dishes are washed. The bathroom sink is a lavabo or lavamanos. Using fregadero for the bathroom sounds odd, like saying 'kitchen sink' when you mean the bathroom basin.

Confusing lavabo with inodoro

Incorrect: Me lavé las manos en el inodoro.

Correct: Me lavé las manos en el lavabo.

Inodoro means toilet. Lavabo means sink. Saying you washed your hands in the toilet is both incorrect and unintentionally comical. The bathroom contains both an inodoro and a lavabo—they are separate fixtures.

Lock in Bathroom Sink Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Lavabo used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using lavabo in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El lavabo del baño tiene una fuga que necesita reparación. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Bathroom Sink in Spanish

What is the difference between lavabo, lavamanos, and pileta?: All three refer to a bathroom sink, but usage depends on region. Lavabo is standard in Spain and understood everywhere. Lavamanos is preferred in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Central America, and much of South America. Pileta is Argentinian and also covers swimming pools and large basins. When in doubt, lavabo is the safest universal choice.
How do you say 'kitchen sink' versus 'bathroom sink' in Spanish?: The kitchen sink is a fregadero (Spain, Mexico, Central America) or lavaplatos (Colombia and other Andean countries). The bathroom sink is a lavabo or lavamanos. Spanish distinguishes between these fixtures more clearly than English does, which uses 'sink' for both. Knowing which word to use prevents confusion when shopping for fixtures or calling a plumber.
How do you describe a clogged sink in Spanish?: A clogged sink is a lavabo tapado or lavamanos tapado (in Latin America) and lavabo atascado (in Spain). The verbs destapar (to unclog) and desatascar (to unblock) describe the fix. You might tell a plumber: el lavamanos del baño está tapado y el agua no baja (the bathroom sink is clogged and the water won't drain).