Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Button in Spanish: Botón
Botón · noun · boh-TOHN
The Spanish word 'botón' covers all English meanings of 'button'—from clothing fasteners to mechanical push-buttons to digital interface elements. It is a masculine noun with the plural 'botones.' Interestingly, 'botones' (with lowercase) also means 'bellboy' in hotel contexts, derived from the many buttons on traditional bellboy uniforms.
Say 'botón' as boh-TOHN with stress on the final syllable, marked by the accent over the 'o.' The 'b' is soft between vowels in connected speech.
Presiona el botón rojo para encender la máquina.
Press the red button to turn on the machine.
How Native Speakers Use Botón
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Clothing
Se me cayó un botón de la camisa.
A button fell off my shirt.
Wardrobe malfunction.
Technology
Haz clic en el botón de enviar para mandar el correo.
Click the send button to send the email.
Digital interface instruction.
Elevator
¿Puedes presionar el botón del quinto piso?
Can you press the button for the fifth floor?
Everyday mechanical button.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Botón
Forgetting the accent
Incorrect: Presiona el boton verde.
Correct: Presiona el botón verde.
Without the accent, 'boton' would violate Spanish stress rules since words ending in 'n' naturally stress the penultimate syllable. The accent on 'botón' is mandatory to indicate final-syllable stress.
Wrong plural form
Incorrect: Los botónes de la chaqueta son dorados.
Correct: Los botones de la chaqueta son dorados.
When forming the plural of 'botón,' the accent mark disappears because the stress naturally falls on the penultimate syllable of 'botones'—the accent was only needed in the singular to override default stress.
Lock in Button 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 Botón used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using botón in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Presiona el botón rojo para encender la máquina. 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 Button in Spanish
- Does 'botón' work for both clothing buttons and push buttons?
- The word 'botón' is universal for all types of buttons in Spanish—shirt buttons, elevator buttons, remote control buttons, and computer interface buttons. Context makes the meaning clear, just as the English word 'button' covers all these objects.
- Why does 'botones' also mean bellboy?
- The term 'botones' for a hotel bellboy or pageboy originated from the rows of shiny buttons decorating their traditional uniforms. This usage is well-established in Spain and much of Latin America, though 'botones' is gradually being replaced by 'botones de hotel' or simply the job title 'recepcionista' in modern contexts.
- How do I say 'to button up' in Spanish?
- The verb is 'abrochar' or 'abotonar,' both meaning to fasten buttons. 'Abrochar' is more general (also used for zippers and buckles), while 'abotonar' specifically refers to doing up buttons. Their opposites are 'desabrochar' and 'desabotonar' (to unbutton).