Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Light Bulb in Spanish: Bombilla
Bombilla · noun · bohm-BEE-yah
Bombilla is the most widely understood Spanish word for light bulb, though regional variants like foco and bombillo are also common.
bohm-BEE-yah
Se fundió la bombilla de la cocina.
The kitchen light bulb burned out.
Light Bulb in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for light bulb, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| bombilla | light bulb | bohm-BEE-yah | Default, widely understood |
| foco | light bulb | Mexico and Central America | |
| bombillo | light bulb | Colombia, Venezuela, Caribbean | |
| lamparita | light bulb | Argentina |
How Native Speakers Use Bombilla
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Home repair
Necesito cambiar la bombilla del baño.
I need to change the bathroom light bulb.
Handling a household task.
Shopping errand
Compra un paquete de focos LED en la ferretería.
Buy a pack of LED light bulbs at the hardware store.
Running an errand in Mexico.
Power issue
La bombilla parpadea, creo que está fallando.
The light bulb is flickering, I think it's failing.
Noticing an electrical problem.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Bombilla
Using luz for the bulb itself
Incorrect: Cambia la luz del techo.
Correct: Cambia la bombilla del techo.
Luz means light in general — bombilla refers specifically to the physical bulb that produces the light.
Mixing regional terms
Incorrect: Compra un bombillo. (in Mexico)
Correct: Compra un foco. (in Mexico)
In Mexico, the word for light bulb is foco — using bombillo (Colombia) or bombilla (Spain) may cause confusion.
Lock in Light Bulb 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 Bombilla used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using bombilla in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Se fundió la bombilla de la cocina. 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 Light Bulb in Spanish
- How do you say 'light bulb' in Spanish?
- The word varies by region — bombilla is used in Spain, foco in Mexico and Central America, bombillo in Colombia and Venezuela, and lamparita in Argentina.
- What does foco mean in Spain?
- In Spain, foco means spotlight or floodlight, not a regular light bulb — Spaniards use bombilla for the standard household bulb, which can cause confusion with Latin American speakers.
- How do you say 'to change a light bulb' in Spanish?
- The phrase is cambiar la bombilla (or cambiar el foco in Mexico) — for example, necesito cambiar la bombilla means I need to change the light bulb.