Spanish word

cacharro

Pronunciation

IPA/kaˈtʃaro/

Meaning

  • masculine nounjunk

Example

Ese cacharro no sirve.

That junk doesn't work.

Illustration for cacharro (junk)

More examples

Llevé un cacharro viejo al taller y no pudieron repararlo.

I took an old piece of junk to the repair shop and they couldn't fix it.

Core concept

Beat-up small appliance or tool.

Common phrases

  • un cacharro viejo

    an old piece of junk

  • un cacharro inútil

    a useless piece of junk

Similar words

trasto: Old bulky item or piece of furniture that doesn't work and just gets in the way.
cachivache: Loose collection of small miscellaneous items or knickknacks hoarded despite little use.
chatarra: Discarded metal junk or scrap, typically old appliances and parts valued only for metal.
basura: Household waste or refuse meant to be thrown away.

Definition in Spanish

Artefacto o trasto de poco valor o en mal estado, usado para referirse a objetos pequeños o aparatos viejos.

Word origin

Cacharro originates in medieval Spanish as a word for an earthenware pot and extends to denote battered or worthless small devices and household items.

Usage tips

  • In colloquial use, cacharro often appears in possessive phrases like mi cacharro to mean an old or unreliable car, conveying a dismissive tone.

Other meanings

  • contraptionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • cacharreartinkerverb
  • cacharreríajunk shopnoun

Word lists with this word