Computer Spanish: essential computer vocabulary in Spanish that you need to know
A brief guide to the Spanish-speaking world of computing.
If you travel to a Spanish-speaking country, it’s likely that sooner or later you’ll use a computer, probably to access the internet so you can study or work.
Understanding computer vocabulary in Spanish is often surprisingly easy.
This is because many tech-related English words have been adopted into Spanish.
In addition, there’s an extensive list of scientific vocabulary that comes from Latin and Greek (many Spanish words have Latin or Greek roots).
This computer vocabulary is constantly evolving and changing, and some people are opposed to the use of English words in Spanish.
For example, a computer mouse is sometimes referred to as a “mouse” and other times as a “ratón” (“mouse” in Spanish).
Computer words are used in different ways according to the context and the person.
You’ll see references to both “la Internet” (because the word “red” (“network”) is feminine) and “el Internet” (because new words in Spanish are typically masculine by default).
What’s more, “Internet” is often left uncapitalised: “internet”.
If you use the following list of computer and internet terms, keep the above points in mind.
All the terms given here are used somewhere by Spanish speakers. However, the choice of the word depends on the location and preference of each speaker.
In some cases, there are variants or alternative spellings that we haven’t included in this list.
Finally, English words related to technology tend to retain their English pronunciation or something close to it.
List of computing terms in Spanish
Abrir un archivo existente = to open an existing file
Acceder a Internet = to access the internet
Acceso Seguro = secure access
Actividad del blogger = blogger activity
Administrador web = web administrator
Alfombrilla para ratón = mouse mat
Alojamiento = hosting
Alta definición / Alta resolución = high definition / high resolution
Altavoces = speakers
Altavoz = speaker
Antivirus
Añadir a favorito = to add to favourites
Aplicación = application
App
Archivo / Archivo adjunto = file / attached file
Arrastrar y soltar = to drag and drop
Arroba = @
Atajo de teclado = keyboard shortcut
Auricular de audio = earphone
Barra de desplazamiento = scrollbar
Barra invertida / Barra inversa /Barra oblicua = backslash
Base de datos = database
Blog / Bloguear /Bloguero / bloguera = blog/ blogger
Botón (por ejemplo botón del ratón) = button
Buscador = search engine
Buzón correo = inbox
Byte
Cable
Caché = cache
Caja = box
Captura de pantalla = screenshot
Cargar = to charge
Chatear = to chat
Clic / Cliquear / Picar / Pinchar / Hacer clic = to click
Código de acceso = access code
Colgarse / bloquearse = to crash / to lock
Computadora / Equipo informático / Ordenador / Ordenador portátil / Ordenador para videojuegos / PC de sobremesa = computer / IT systems / computer / laptop / gaming PC / desktop
Conectar = to connect
Conector = connector
Conexión = connection
Contraseña = password
Controlador = driver
Copiar = to copy
Correo electrónico / Correo basura = email / spam
Cortafuegos = firewall
Cortar / Cortar y pegar = copy / copy & paste
CPU
Crear un nuevo archivo = to create a new file
Crear una carpeta nueva = to create a new folder
Cursor
Debate
Descarga / Descargar / Descarga illegal = download / to download / illegal download
Desconectar / Desconexión = to disconnect / disconnection
Desenchufar = to unplug
Desplazarse hacia abajo / Desplazarse hacia arriba = scroll down / scroll up
Digitalizar / Escanear = to scan
Dirección de IP = IP address
Directorio = directory
Disco duro / Disco duro externo = hard drive / external hard drive
Documento impreso = printed document
Dominio = domain
Editor de texto = text editor
En línea = online
Encender = to switch on
Enlace / vínculo = link
Enviar= to send
Escritorio= desk
Exportar = to export
Externo = external
Fallo = error
Favorito = favourite
Formatear = to format
Fuente = source
Fuente de alimentación = power supply
Fusionar = to merge
Grabadora = voice recorder
Guardar como = save as
Hacker informático = hacker
Herramientas = tools
Hilo = thread
Hipervínculo = hyperlink
Hoja de cálculo = spreadsheet
Icono = icon
Importar = to import
Impresora = printer
Imprimir = to print
Inalámbrico = wireless
Informática = computing
Ingeniero informático= IT Engineer
Iniciar = to start
Insertar= to insert
Internet
Kilobyte
La Red = the web
Lector / Lector de documentos = document reader
Lector DVD/CD = DVD/CD player
Marcador = bookmark
Megabyte
Megahercio = megahertz
Memoria / Memoria flash / Memoria USB = memory / flash memory / USB
Memoria Ram = RAM
Micrófono = microphone
Monitor / Motor de búsqueda = monitor / search engine
Navegador / Navegador web / Navegar / Navegar por la Red = web browser
Nombre de dominio = domain name
Ocultar = to hide
Página de inicio = home page
Página web = web page
Página Web / Un sitio de Internet = web page / website
Palabra clave = keyword
Panel de control = control panel
Pantalla / Pantalla digital = screen / digital screen
Parámetros de privacidad = privacy settings
Peer to peer
Pegar = to paste
Periféricos = computer peripheral
Placa Base = motherboard
Plataforma = platform
Política de privacidad = privacy policy
Preguntas frecuentes / Preguntas más frecuentes = frequently asked questions
Procesador = processor
Programa / Programa gratuito = programme / free programme
Programa informático = computer programme
Publicación en línea = online publication
Puerto = port
Puerto USB = USB port
Pulsar = to push
Ratón = mouse
Recibir = to receive
Red informática = network
Red social = social media
Reenviar = to forward
Registrador = processor register
Reiniciar = to restart
Salvapantalla = screensaver
Sistema Operativo (S.O) = operating system
Sitio web = website
Spam
Tarjeta = card
Tarjeta Gráfica = graphics card
Tecla = key
Teclado = keyboard
Teléfono inteligente = smartphone
Terminos y condiciones = terms and conditions
Torre = tower
Usuario = user
Ventana / Ventana emergente = window / popup
Ventilador = fan
Video
Virus
Virus Caballo de Troya = trojan horse virus
Visor = image viewer
Visualización = visualisation
Webcam
Wifi
Learn the essentials of computer Spanish quickly with this list of common computer and internet terms.
It’s useful if you’ve got an exam coming up or if you want to enrich and improve your Spanish vocabulary so you can express yourself better when writing and speaking.
If you want to find out more, take a look at our online and in-person courses at mausschool.com
