January 15, 2021 by Michelle Margaret Fajkus Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments
Want to become a Spanish computer whiz? Even if you’re simply looking to become literate in Spanish computer terminology, this post is for you. These terms are especially useful for you if you work with Spanish-speaking colleagues or clients.
In today’s digital age, “technology” encompasses high-tech gadgets, like computers, tablets, and smartphones, as well as internet use, social media, and general computing lingo. Computers have become a part of daily life, and many of us carry a miniature one around with us almost all the time in the form of our phone.
For the purpose of this blog post, we’ll cover multiple areas of technology in Spanish—including relevant verbs, the Spanish keyboard, hardware, software, internet, and social media.
Although the terms provided in this post are all used by Spanish speakers somewhere, word choice depends on the region and preference of the individual speaker.
Spanish Computer Vocabulary Guide
Spanish vocabulary related to computers and the internet remains in a state of continuous change; some Spanish speakers object to the direct import of English words. For this reason, for example, a computer mouse may be referred to as a “mouse” (pronounced maus), or as la ratón (the Spanish word for “mouse”).
Spanish Computer Vocabulary: Verbs
Here are the action words you need to know in Spanish to discuss all things related to computing.
Turn on – encender
Turn off – apagar
Upload – subir
Save – guardar
Erase, delete – borrar
Click – hacer clic, cliquear, presionar, pulsar
Download – bajar, descargar
Search – buscar
Google (as a verb) – googlear
Reboot – reiniciar
Crash – caer el sistema
Print – imprimir
Type – teclear
Connect – conectar
Install – instalar
Access – acceder
Log in – iniciar sesión
Upgrade, update – actualizar
Browse – navegar
Back up – hacer una copia de seguridad
Cut and paste – cortar y pegar
Email – enviar correo electrónico, enviar por correo electrónico, emailear
Spanish Computer Keyboard Codes
The Spanish language uses several symbols and punctuation marks that do not appear in the English language. If you’ve endeavored to type in Spanish, you’ve likely struggled to find characters such as ¿, ¡, «, », á, é, í, ó, ú, ü, or ñ.
A keyboard layout designed with the Spanish language in mind is a great tool for writing in Spanish. The Spanish keyboard eliminates the need for shortcuts and includes the letter Ñ, as well as Spanish-only punctuation marks such as the initial exclamation and question marks ¡ ¿.
Spanish alt codes are easy to use, and they help you to write faster when typing in Spanish. Copying and pasting accented letters from websites gets tedious. Instead, you can check your list of Spanish alt codes or use your international keyboard to type more efficiently, saving you loads of time and energy.
Spanish Computer Keyboard Vocabulary
“At” symbol (@) – la arroba
Button (as on a mouse) – el botón
Cursor – el cursor
Key (of a keyboard) – la tecla
Keyboard – el teclado
Mouse – el ratón, el mouse
Slash (/) – la barra, la barra oblicua
Backslash (\) – la barra invertida, la barra inversa, la contrabarra
See also:
- The Spanish Keyboard – How to Type Anything in Spanish
- What’s the Deal With the Upside Down Question Mark in Spanish?
- Check out this online Spanish keyboard!
Spanish Computer Vocabulary: Hardware
Computer – la computadora
Tablet – la tableta
Laptop – el plegable, la computadora portátil, el ordenador portátil
Printer – la impresora
Hard Drive – el disco duro
Headphones – los audífonos
Microphone – el micrófono
Screen – la pantalla
Camera – la cámara
Speakers – las bocinas
RAM – la memoria RAM
Flash memory – la memoria flash
Battery – la batería
Hard drive – el disco duro
USB port – puerto USB
Drive – el driver
Server – el servidor
Cable – el cable
Smartphone – el teléfono inteligente, el smartphone
Operating system – el sistema operativo, el código operacional
Processor – el procesador
Router – el router
Example Sentences
No se enciende mi computadora.
My computer won’t turn on.
Mamá, tu cámara no está encendida.
Mom, your camera is not turned on.
Cayó el sistema de mi computadora portátil.
My laptop crashed.
¿Cuánto va a costar repararla?
How much will it cost to repair it?
Quiero hacer una copia de seguridad de mi disco duro.
I want to back up my hard drive.
To learn more, check out Technology in Spanish: Modern Tech-Savvy Vocabulary
Spanish Computer Vocabulary: Software
Software – el software
Password – la contraseña
App – la aplicación
Database – la base de datos
Bug – el fallo, el error, el bug
Virus – el virus
Toolbar – la barra de herramientas
Terms and conditions – los términos y condiciones
Desktop – el escritorio, la pantalla
Screensaver – el salvapantallas
Spreadsheet – la hoja de cálculo
Data – los datos
Digital – digital
File – el archivo
Folder – la carpeta
Example Sentences
No hay que compartir tu contraseña con nadie.
Don’t share your password with anyone.
¿Cuál es la mejor aplicación de calendarios?
What is the best calendar app?
Tienes que aceptar los términos y condiciones para poder usar este software.
You have to accept the terms and conditions to be able to use this software.
Ella guardó el archivo en la carpeta del escritorio que se llama “mis documentos.”
She saved the file in the folder called “my documents” on the desktop.
Spanish Computer Vocabulary: Internet
Link – el enlace, la conexión, el vínculo
Internet – el internet
Worldwide Web – la World Wide Web (WWW), red informática mundial
Network – la red
Search engine – el buscador, el servidor de búsqueda
Data – la data
Email – el correo electrónico
Podcast – el podcast
Wi-fi – el wifi
Blog – el blog
Digital – digital
Tab (in a browser) – la pestaña
Bandwidth – la amplitud de banda
Bookmark – el favorito, el marcador, el marcapáginas
Cookie (used in browsers) – la cookie
Cache – el caché, la memoria cache
Browser history – el historial de navegador
Address (email or website) – la dirección
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) – las preguntas más frecuentes/comunes, las FAQ
Home page – la página inicial, la página principal, la portada
Privacy policy – la política de privacidad, la póliza de privacidad
Domain – el dominio
Dot com – punto com
Keyword – la palabra clave
Spam – el correo basura, el spam
Video – el video
Video call – la videollamada
Cloud – la nube
Example Sentences
Siempre tengo más de 4 pestañas abiertas a la vez.
I always have more than 4 tabs open at once.
Mi esposo pasa horas navegando por el internet.
My husband spends hours surfing the internet.
Nunca hago clic en los anuncios.
I never click on advertisem*nts.
¿Has visto mi nueva portada?
Have you seen my new home page?
¿Cual es tu dirección de correo electrónico?
What’s your email address?
Handpicked for you: Online in Spanish: 100 Useful Words Related to the Internet
Spanish Computer Vocabulary: Social Media
Social media – las redes sociales
Username – el nombre de usuario
Tag – la etiqueta
Hashtag – el hashtag
Profile – el perfil
Comment – el comentario
Message – el mensaje
Privacy – la privacidad
Post – la publicación
Notification – la notificación
Page – la página
Advertisem*nt – el anuncio
Follower – el seguidor
Account – la cuenta
Example Sentences
Te quiero agregar a mi Instagram.
I want to add you on Instagram.
¿Tienes 10 minutos para chatear?
Do you have 10 minutes to chat?
¡Mi amiga no tiene ningún perfil en las redes sociales!
My friend doesn’t have a single profile on social media!
¿Puedo compartir tu publicación?
Can I share your post?
Use Your New Spanish Computer Vocabulary in Conversation
Now that you’ve learned a ton of new technology-related words in Spanish, are you ready to put your new knowledge into practice? To start speaking Spanish today with a professional Spanish-speaking teacher, sign up for a free trial class at Homeschool Spanish Academy.
Time and time again, our students prove that taking online classes with a Spanish teacher is the fastest way to learn Spanish! Additionally, it affords you the flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere. Best of all, your teacher will develop a study plan tailored to your level and goals and keep you focused and engaged in the lesson. Join us today and see how quickly you can improve your Spanish skills!
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Michelle Margaret Fajkus
Editor & Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
Michelle Margaret Fajkus is a bilingual writer and longtime yoga teacher. A former advertising copywriter turned bilingual elementary school teacher, she is now a freelance writer, editor and translator. A native Texan, Michelle has Mexican roots and learned Spanish in middle and high school. She has become more fluent thanks to living as an expat in Guatemala. She lives with her family on beautiful Lake Atitlan.
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