Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
DRAIN in Spanish: DESAGÜE
Desagüe · noun · deh-sah-GWEH
Desagüe is the Spanish word for drain as a noun, referring to the opening or pipe that carries water away, whether in a sink, shower, or street. The word contains the prefix des- (away) and agua (water), literally meaning a place where water goes away. As a verb, drenar covers medical and technical drainage, while escurrir is the kitchen term for draining liquid from food like pasta or vegetables.
deh-sah-GWEH
El desagüe del baño está tapado y el agua no baja.
The bathroom drain is clogged and the water won't go down.
Drain in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for drain, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| desagüe | drain | deh-sah-GWEH | Default, widely understood |
| drenar | drain | verb, to drain | |
| escurrir | drain | to drain liquid from food | |
| coladera | drain | Mexico, a floor drain |
How Native Speakers Use Desagüe
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Plumbing issue
Necesitamos llamar al plomero porque el desagüe de la cocina está obstruido.
We need to call the plumber because the kitchen drain is blocked.
A household plumbing problem using desagüe.
Cooking instruction
Escurre la pasta y agrégale la salsa inmediatamente.
Drain the pasta and add the sauce immediately.
Uses escurrir for draining food in a recipe.
Street drainage
Después de la tormenta, la coladera de la calle se tapó con hojas.
After the storm, the street drain got clogged with leaves.
Uses the Mexican term coladera for a street drain.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Desagüe
Missing the diaeresis
Incorrect: El desague necesita limpieza.
Correct: El desagüe necesita limpieza.
The diaeresis (ü) is essential because without it, the u would be silent in the gue combination, changing the pronunciation from gweh to geh.
Using drenar for kitchen draining
Incorrect: Drena las verduras antes de servir.
Correct: Escurre las verduras antes de servir.
Drenar sounds clinical or technical in a kitchen context; escurrir is the natural culinary verb for draining liquid from food.
Lock in Drain 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 Desagüe used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using desagüe in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El desagüe del baño está tapado y el agua no baja. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
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Common Questions About Drain in Spanish
- What is the difference between desagüe, drenaje, and alcantarilla?
- Desagüe is the individual drain opening, drenaje is the broader drainage system or the act of draining, and alcantarilla is a sewer or storm drain, referring to the underground infrastructure.
- How do I say 'the drain is clogged'?
- The most common way is El desagüe está tapado or El desagüe está obstruido, with tapado being more colloquial and obstruido being slightly more formal.
- What is escurrir used for?
- Escurrir specifically means to drain liquid from something, most commonly used in cooking when you drain pasta, vegetables, or canned goods, and it can also mean to wring out a wet cloth.