English–Spanish
“handcuffs” in Spanish
Spanish
Pronunciation
IPA/esˈposas/
Example
La policía le puso esposas al detenido.
The police put handcuffs on the detainee.
How to say “handcuffs” in Spanish
“Handcuffs” in Spanish is esposas.
Paired metal cuffs joined by a short chain that lock around the wrists.
Example sentences with esposas
El detenido pidió que le quitaran las esposas antes de declarar.
The detainee asked that they remove his handcuffs before testifying.
Tips for using esposas
- As a false friend for English speakers, las esposas often means handcuffs in police or news contexts, while a following name or possessive (las esposas de Ana) means wives.