Guide to Spanish Terms for Paint Crews
How to communicate with a Spanish-speaking painting crew.
Welcome to our comprehensive guide aimed at equipping English-speaking painting crew managers with essential terminology for the painting projects. In this guide we will break down the most important terms and phrases needed to effectively communicate with a Spanish-speaking painting crew.
This guide is composed of sections from our accompanying book to our course Paint Spanish. The structure of each chapter of our Paint Spanish book is composed of three components. Each serves a specific purpose as we deliver on our commitment to make Paint Spanish relevant, entertaining, and brief. This guide uses excerpts from the book Paint Spanish, if you are looking to go deeper, check out our courses designed to fast-track Spanish speaking for job site crews.
6-Week Spanish Course Books
Books are only available in the respective 6-Week Spanish course.
1. Painting Terms/Phrases
At Bradley Hartmann & Company our passion is construction. This is the only sandbox we play in. Our narrow focus ensures the content in this book represents what you need to know on the job. But don't just take our word for it. We've partnered with leading paint manufacturers and painting contractors from across the country. Each shared their perspectives on what they needed to know.
2. High-Frequency Terms/Phrases
You may be aware of the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 Rule. It states that 80 percent of the effects come from 20 percent of the causes. We've applied this principle to Paint Spanish to leverage the most commonly used terms, phrases, and conversations on the job.
3. Relevant Spanish Twins™
There are thousands of terms that are identical or nearly the same in both English and Spanish. In the pages to follow, we reveal nearly 100+ paint-specific "twins" to speed your learning process and confidence.
In this guide we break out key components from our Paint Spanish course. The guide is designed to be a quick reference to fast-track the most important phrases.
Core Painter Terms:
To get started with our guide for Spanish terms for paint crews, lets cover some of the most basic and common words you will use on the job site:
| Spanish | English | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| la pintura | paint | paint | (peen-TOOH-rah) |
| el pintor | painter | painter | (peen-TOHR) |
| pintar | to paint | to paint | (peen-TAHR) |
| el color | paint | color | (koh-LOHR) |
| el cliente | client | client, customer | (klee-AYN-tah) |
| el proyecto | project | project | (proh-YAYK-toh) |
| la brocha | brush | brush | (BROH-chah) |
| la(s) escalera(s) | ladder (stairs) | ladder (stairs) | (ay-skah-LAY-rah) |
| comprar | to buy | to buy | (kohm-PRAHR) |
| la lista | list | list | (LEE-stah) |
| el metal | metal | metal | (may-TAHL) |
| el material | material | material | (mah-tay-ree-AHL) |
| el plan | plan | plan | (PLAHN) |
| el área | area | area | (AH-ray-ah) |
| el tipo | type | type | (TEE-poh) |
| importante | important | important | (eem-pohr-TAHN-tay) |
| el concreto | concrete | concrete | (kohn-KRAY-toh) |
Conversational Terms for Paint Crews:
If it's a necessity, you need it, right? OK then. Let's jump into the verb necesitar to need.
On the job speaking English, you use the word need a lot. When do you need this? You're probably gonna need that too! Hey, do you need to buy extra rollers? You get the idea. To need is just as valuable in Spanish. And it's a Spanish Twin™!
| WORD | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| NECESITAR | (nay-say-SEE-tar) | to need |
| necesito | (nay-say-SEE-toh) | I need / Do I need? |
| necesitas | (nay-say-SEE-tahs) | You need / Do you need? |
| necesita | (nay-say-SEE-tah) | S/he needs / Does s/he need? |
| necesitamos | (nay-say-see-TAH-mohs) | We need / Do we need? |
| necesitan | (nay-say-SEE-tahn) | They need / Do they need? |
Basic terms for communicating on a basic level with Spanish-speaking paint crew. This batch covers greetings, job performance, and common colors.
| Spanish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buenos días. | Good morning. |
| ¿Cómo andas? | How are you? |
| Todo está bien. | Everything is fine. |
| OK, excelente. | OK, excellent. |
| ¿No hay problemas, preguntas, o peligros? | Are there no problems, questions, or dangers? |
| No, no hay. | No, there aren't any. |
| ¿Puedo mover estos galones de pintura? | Can I move these gallons of paint? |
| ¡Ah, sí! Por favor. | Ah, yes! Please. |
| No podemos usar la puerta con la pintura allí. | We can't use the door with the paint there. La puerta (PWAYR-tah) means door. Think of una puerta as a portal, allowing passage from one place to another. |
| La puerta | door |
| rojo | red |
| verde | green |
| azul | blue |
Products & Places
| WORD | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| el sellador | (say-yah-DOHR) | Sealer |
| el esmalte | (ay-SMAHL-tay) | Enamel |
| el concreto | (kohn-KRAY-toh) | Concrete |
| el metal | (may-TAHL) | Metal |
| el yeso | (YAY-soh) | Drywall |
| la madera | (mah-DAY-rah) | Wood |
| Soy | (soy) | I am |
| ¿Qué tipo? | (kay TEE-poh) | What type? |
| ¿Cómo se llama? | (KOH-moh say YAH-mah) | What's your name? |
| Mucho gusto. | (MOOH-choh GOOH-stoh) | Nice to meet you. |
| Despacio. | (day-SPAH-see-oh) | Slow down |
| Ven. | (BEN) | Come |
| ahorita | (ow-REE-tah) | right now |
| aquí | (ah-KEE) | here |
| Repítelo. | (ray-PEE-tay-loh) | Repeat it |
Places
The following are common Spanish words that will come up on painting projects with a Spanish speaking paint crew.
| WORD | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| interior | (een-tay-ree-OHR) | interior |
| exterior | (ayks-tay-ree-OHR) | exterior |
| mejor | (may-HOHR) | better |
| peor | (pay-OHR) | worse |
| la casa | (KAH-sah) | house |
| el edificio | (ay-dee-FEE-see-oh) | building |
| el patio | (PAH-tee-oh) | patio |
| el porche | (POHR-chay) | porch |
| el garaje | (gah-RAH-hay) | garage |
| la terraza | (tay-RRAH-sah) | terrace |
Pricing & Accounts
There are times when you need crew members to pick up and deliver products for painting projects. This section is dedicated to covering pricing and account related Spanish terms.
Hay muchos beneficios. :: There are many benefits.
descuentos y precios mejores :: Discounts and the best prices entrega
gratis:: Free delivery
| WORD | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| el beneficio | (bay-nay-FEE-see-oh) | benefit |
| el descuento | (days-KWAYN-toh) | discount |
| el precio | (PRAY-see-oh) | price |
| mejor | (may-HOHR) | better |
| la entrega | (ayn-TRAY-gah) | delivery |
| gratis | (GRAH-tees) | free |
| entregar | (ayn-tray-GAR) | to deliver |
Let's go! We're gonna get 'er done!
Effective construction management hinges on your ability to be proactive-to look ahead, communicate what's going to happen, and anticipate potential obstacles in the way. Therefore, it's critical you learn how to use the verb ir: to go so you can communicate what's going to happen.
| VERB | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| IR | (eer) | to go |
| voy | (BOY) | I go / I'm going |
| vas | (BAHS) | You go / Are you going? |
| va | (BAH) | S/he goes / Are you going? |
| vamos | (BAH-mohs) | We go / Are we going? |
| van | (BAN) | They go / Are they going? |
Asking For What You Want
You want to start a business relationship, right? Perfecto. Then ask for what you want.
| VERB | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| ayudar | (i-yooh-DAHR) | To help |
| ahorrar | (ah-oh-RRAHR) | To save |
| WORD | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| el dinero | (dee-NAY-roh) | money |
| el tiempo | (tee-AYM-poh) | time (weather) |
| la frustración | (frooh-strah-see-OHN) | frustration |
| el estrés | (ay-STRAYS) | stress |
| Quieres | (kee-AY-rays) | You want |
| ver | (BAYR) | to see |
| la aplicación | (ah-plee-kah-see-OHN) | application |
Accessories
| WORD | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| la máscara | (MAHS-kah-rah) | mask: Apply your mascara wearing una máscara. |
| el respirador | (ray-spee-rah-DOHR) | respirator |
| el punto | (POON-toh) | point |
| la pistola | (pees-TOH-lah) | gun |
| la esponja | (ay-SPOHN-hah) | sponge |
| el plástico | (pee-STOH-lahs) | plastic |
| la bandeja | (bahn-DAY-hah) | tray |
| el trapo | (TRAH-poh) | rag |
| el paño | (PAHN-yoh) | cloth |
Delivery & Install
And now, compañeros, you've arrived when your clientes will begin doing their work. ¡Qué fantástico! It's about time. ¿Estás listo? You ready?
Getting the Goods & Paying for the Rent
Paint contractors have a couple ways to get their paint and accessories and a pair of familiar methods of payment.
| VERB | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| entregar | (ayn-tray-GAHR) | to deliver |
| recoger | (ray-koh-HAYR) | to pick up |
| coger | (koh-HAYR) | to take, get |
| pagar | (pah-GAHR) | to pay |
| WORD | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| hoy | (OY) | today |
| ahora | (ah-OH-rah) | now |
Spanish Vocabulary for Painting and Coating Supplies
| WORD | PRONUNCIATION | MEANING |
|---|---|---|
| la capa | (KAH-pah) | layer, coat |
| primero | (pree-MAY-roh) | first |
| segundo | (say-GOON-doh) | second |
| tercero | (tayr-SAY-roh) | third |
| la cobertura | (koh-bayr-TOOH-rah) | coverage |
| el epoxi | (ay-POHK-see) | epoxy |
| el látex | (LAH-tayks) | latex |
| seco/a | (SAY-koh) | dry |
| mojado/a | (moh-HAH-doh) | wet |
Hmm, what else can go wrong aquí? No sé.
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo sé | (yoh-SAY) | I do know | I know and I say Yo sé |
| el plomo | (PLOH-moh) | Lead | Narco boss Escobar: ¿Plata o plomo? Silver or lead? |
| el polvo | (POHL-Voh) | Dust | Lots of polvo on that Volvo. |
| la lluvia | (YOOH-bee-ah) | Rain | "You be a" wet one if you stand en la lluvia. |
| el sobrante | (soh-BRAHN-tay) | Leftover | Sobre means over. Sobrante means leftover. |
| donar | (doh-NAHR) | To donate | donar is to donate. Una dona is a donut. |
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Es mejor o peor? | (may-HOHR) (pay-OHR) | Is it better or worse? |
| La luz cambia el color. | (LOOHS) (KAHM-bee-ah) | Light changes the color. |
| Lo siento. | (loh see-AYN-toh) | I'm sorry. |
| Puedo chequear. | (PWAY-doh) | I can check. |
| mejor | (may-HOHR) | better, best |
| peor | (pay-OHR) | worse |
If you are looking to go further with learning how to communicate with a Spanish speaking crew, be sure to check out our course, Paint Spanish.
Be also to check out our other Spanish language guides including:
Guide to Key Spanish Words for Construction
Guide to Key Spanish Words for Jobsite Safety
