Working Tools in Spanish | Names You’ll Use At The Store

Learn the everyday Spanish names for hand tools, power tools, and shop items, plus store-ready phrases and clear pronunciation cues.

You walk into a ferretería (hardware store) and suddenly every tool in your head goes blank. You know what you need. You can point at it. Still, saying the name out loud feels better. It saves time, reduces mix-ups, and makes you sound like you’ve done this before.

This article gives you the tool names people actually say, grouped by use, with quick notes that prevent the usual slip-ups (gender, plurals, and near-twins like “wrench” vs “spanner”). You’ll also get ready-to-say store phrases, plus a short pronunciation cheat sheet that keeps you from getting stuck mid-sentence.

How Tool Names Work In Spanish

Most tool names are nouns with an article: el (masculine) or la (feminine). In stores and job sites, people often keep the article because it signals what you’re asking for: “Necesito el martillo” (I need the hammer) sounds natural.

Gender Patterns That Save You Time

There’s no single rule, but patterns help:

• Tools ending in -o are often masculine: el martillo, el taladro.
• Tools ending in -a are often feminine: la sierra, la broca.
• Borrowed words can go either way; ask once, then stick with what you hear.

Plural Forms You’ll Hear In Aisles

Plural is usually simple: add -s or -es. You’ll hear these a lot when buying sets:

• el guante → los guantes
• la llave → las llaves
• el tornillo → los tornillos

Pronunciation Cues For Tool Words

These tiny notes prevent the most common stumbles:

• ll often sounds like “y” or “j” depending on the region: llave.
• j is a strong “h” sound: caja, lijar.
• h is silent: herramienta starts like “eh-rra-…”, not “heh-…”.
• rr is rolled: tornillo doesn’t roll, but herramienta does.

If you want a clean definition for the word “tool” itself, the dictionary entry for herramienta is a solid reference point for standard Spanish usage.

Core Hand Tools You’ll Use Most

Hand tools are the backbone of everyday fixes: hanging shelves, tightening hardware, cutting materials, scraping, clamping. In Spanish, many of these names match what you see on packaging across brands.

Striking And Prying

• el martillo (hammer)
• el mazo (mallet)
• la palanca (pry bar / lever)
• la pata de cabra (crowbar; also used for pry bars)

Store line you can use: “¿Tienes un martillo para clavos pequeños?” (Do you have a hammer for small nails?)

Gripping, Cutting, And Twisting

• los alicates (pliers)
• las pinzas (pliers/tongs; also “tweezers” in other contexts)
• el cúter (utility knife/box cutter)
• la navaja (pocket knife; use with care in a store context)
• la tijera (scissors/shears)

Wrenches And Screwdrivers

This is where people mix terms. In many places, “wrench” is llave. The type is what changes.

• el destornillador (screwdriver)
• el destornillador plano (flathead)
• el destornillador Phillips (Phillips)
• la llave inglesa (adjustable wrench)
• la llave Allen (Allen key/hex key)
• la llave de tubo (socket wrench / pipe wrench depending on region; ask to confirm)

Quick aisle phrase: “Busco una llave inglesa que abra más” (I’m looking for an adjustable wrench with a wider opening).

Work Tools In Spanish With Job-Site Terms

If you’re around construction or repairs, you’ll hear terms tied to materials and tasks, not just the tool names. People talk about what the tool does: cut, drill, level, measure, sand.

Measuring And Marking

• la cinta métrica (tape measure)
• el metro (measuring tape; also “meter” as a unit)
• el nivel (level)
• la escuadra (square)
• el lápiz de carpintero (carpenter’s pencil)
• la tiza (chalk)

Cutting And Shaping

• la sierra (saw)
• la sierra de mano (hand saw)
• la sierra circular (circular saw)
• la lima (file)
• la lija (sandpaper)
• la espátula (putty knife/spatula)

Drilling And Driving

“Drill” is taladro. “To drill” is taladrar. If you want the standard dictionary sense of taladro, the entry at taladro matches how the word is used in everyday Spanish.

• el taladro (drill)
• la broca (drill bit)
• la punta (driver bit; also “tip” in general)
• el atornillador (screw gun/driver)
• el percutor (impact function; you’ll see taladro percutor)

If you’re checking a bilingual definition while learning, the entry for taladro in a Spanish-English dictionary can help you match meanings to the tool on the shelf.

Tool Names You Can Copy Into A Shopping List

Here’s a broad list you can screenshot or paste into your notes. Use it as a checklist before a store run or a job.

Tip for smoother buying: if you want a set, add “juego de” (set of) before the tool name. If you want a specific size, add millimeters or inches right after it.

English	Spanish	Store Note
Hammer	el martillo	Ask for “de uña” if you need claw style.
Screwdriver	el destornillador	Say plano or Phillips for the tip type.
Adjustable wrench	la llave inglesa	Often sold by jaw width or length.
Pliers	los alicates	Needle-nose: de punta.
Utility knife	el cúter	Blades: cuchillas.
Tape measure	la cinta métrica	Also el flexómetro in many stores.
Level	el nivel	Laser: nivel láser.
Hand saw	la sierra de mano	Wood vs metal blades differ.
Circular saw	la sierra circular	Ask blade diameter: diámetro.
Drill	el taladro	Impact type: percutor.
Drill bit	la broca	Material: para madera, para metal, para concreto.
Sandpaper	la lija	Grit: grano 80/120/220.
Putty knife	la espátula	Also used for scraping tasks.
Clamp	la abrazadera	Also la prensa for clamps in woodworking.
Work gloves	los guantes de trabajo	Ask size: talla.
Safety glasses	las gafas de seguridad	Also lentes in many regions.
Ear protection	la protección auditiva	Earmuffs: orejeras; plugs: tapones.
Respirator mask	la mascarilla / el respirador	Filters: filtros.

Safety Gear And Shop Items People Ask For

When you’re buying tools, you often need the extras that make them usable: blades, bits, fasteners, protective gear. Stores group these items by aisle, so knowing the Spanish names helps you follow directions like “al fondo” (toward the back) or “por la derecha” (to the right).

Fasteners And Small Hardware

• el tornillo (screw)
• el clavo (nail)
• la tuerca (nut)
• la arandela (washer)
• el taco (wall plug/anchor in many places)
• el anclaje (anchor)

Adhesives And Sealants

• el pegamento (glue)
• la cola (glue; often for wood)
• la silicona (silicone sealant)
• la masilla (filler/putty)
• la cinta adhesiva (tape)

Basic Safety Language You’ll Hear On Job Sites

Rules around tools tend to show up on signs and in training. If you want a straight look at how a regulator organizes tool safety standards, OSHA’s pages are a good reference for terminology and categories in English, which you can match to Spanish training materials: Hand and Power Tools standards.

Spanish Phrases For A Hardware Store Or Workshop

Knowing the noun is good. Being able to ask for the right version is what gets you out of the aisle faster. These lines are short, natural, and easy to swap parts in and out.

Size, Material, And Compatibility

• “¿Lo tienes en otra medida?” (Do you have it in another size?)
• “¿Es para madera o para metal?” (Is it for wood or for metal?)
• “Necesito una broca para concreto.” (I need a drill bit for concrete.)
• “¿Sirve para mi taladro?” (Will it work with my drill?)
• “¿Viene en juego?” (Does it come as a set?)

Finding The Right Aisle

• “¿Dónde están las llaves y los destornilladores?” (Where are the wrenches and screwdrivers?)
• “¿En qué pasillo están los tornillos?” (Which aisle are the screws in?)
• “Busco guantes de trabajo.” (I’m looking for work gloves.)
• “¿Tienes algo más resistente?” (Do you have something more durable?)

Checking Stock And Price

• “¿Cuánto cuesta?” (How much is it?)
• “¿Hay en existencia?” (Is it in stock?)
• “¿Puedo ver otra marca?” (Can I see another brand?)
• “¿Me lo puedes cambiar si no me sirve?” (Can I exchange it if it doesn’t work for me?)

Spanish Phrase	English Meaning	When To Use It
“Necesito una broca de 6 milímetros.”	I need a 6 mm drill bit.	When you know the exact size.
“¿Tienes puntas Phillips?”	Do you have Phillips bits?	When buying driver bits for screws.
“Busco una cinta métrica de 5 metros.”	I’m looking for a 5-meter tape measure.	When picking a tape measure by length.
“¿Me recomiendas este grano para lijar madera?”	Do you recommend this grit for sanding wood?	When choosing sandpaper grit.
“¿Dónde están las abrazaderas?”	Where are the clamps?	When you need clamps or hose clamps.
“¿Hay recambios para esto?”	Are there replacement parts for this?	When buying blades, batteries, filters, tips.
“¿Puedo abrir la caja para verlo?”	Can I open the box to see it?	When packaging hides the details you need.
“¿Tienes el recibo de devolución?”	Do you have the return receipt?	At checkout or at a returns desk.

Regional Words You Might Hear For The Same Tool

Spanish changes by region, so a tool can have two names that both sound normal. If you’re traveling or working with crews from different places, this saves confusion. The trick is simple: learn the word you hear most, then keep a second option in your pocket.

Common Swaps

• cinta métrica vs flexómetro (tape measure)
• gafas vs lentes (glasses)
• taco vs tarugo (wall plug/anchor; depends on region)
• abrazadera vs prensa (clamp; depends on type and region)

If you get stuck, use a description plus the action. It works in any region: “Necesito la pieza para sujetar esto” (I need the piece to hold this).

Small Practice Routine That Makes The Words Stick

You don’t need a long study session. Use a short loop tied to real actions:

1. Pick 10 tools you own or see often.
2. Say the name with the article: el / la.
3. Add one action verb: cortar (to cut), medir (to measure), lijar (to sand), atornillar (to screw in), apretar (to tighten).
4. Make one store sentence: “Necesito ___ para ___.”

That’s it. After a few days, the words stop feeling like flashcards and start feeling like things you can ask for without thinking.