Words for everyday objects, particularly those concerned with agriculture, can vary from village to village
Acequia- irrigation channel. Traditionally made from stone or just cut into the earth but now often replaced with concrete channels or even plastic tubes. Normally maintained by the local Communidad de Regantes of which you will become a member if you buy irrigated land. There will usually be financial ( or even labour ) commitments attached to this membership. Be sure that your rights ( and, if possible, your obligations ) are stated in writing
Aceituna - an olive. An olive tree is an olivo
Agua potable - drinking water - usually supplied, chlorinated and metered by the local town hall
Albañil - builder
Alberca - water store usually fed by an acequia or, sometimes, a spring. Generally built with cement or corrugated metal. Sometimes tiled or painted and used as a swimming pool
Almacen - warehouse
Almacen de construcción - builders merchant
Ayuntamiento - town hall, town council
Azada - long handled hoe. They come in lots of shapes and sizes and are tremendously useful for all sorts of tasks on the land and when irrigating. A bigger version ( rodillo ) is often used for mixing cement by hand. Spades and forks are not often seen in the Alpujarra although the round shovel ( pala ) is in common use
Barreño - a washing up bowl. Although generally made from plastic it is still possible to buy very nice galvanised steel versions in a wide range of sizes
Catastro - government land registry and property valuation office. Most town halls have a catastro access service but the main office for the Alpujarras is in Granada
Calentador - water heater. May be powered by butane, electricity or the sun.
Camino, Carril - a track. May be earth or concrete. If your land has access via one be sure to find out your rights and other peoples rights to use it and any obligations to maintain it. Access tracks and irrigation water are the two biggest causes of disputes between neighbours
Cañizo - a roll of stripped, and sometimes split, cane useful for creating shade or a temporary fence. Usually sold in 5 metre lengths and in various widths
Carro - wheelbarrow, supermarket trolley
Casa - a house in a town or village
Casita - a small house. Often adjacent to a cortijo and used for letting to visitors
Chimenea - fireplace
Cochera - garage, as in a place to keep a car
Compraventa - contract stating intention to buy / sell a property
Compuerta - a sluice gate used to divert water at a branch or exit of an acequia. Usually a steel plate with a handle on top which fits in grooves in the sides of the acequia
Cortijo - a house in the country
Cubo - bucket. Available in a wide range of sizes and in various materials. The black rubber version is particularly useful when working with cement
Darro - drain
Desbrozadora - strimmer
Escritura - property deeds. Sometimes called escritura de compraventa
Estiercol - manure
Estufa ( de leña ) - woodstove
Faena - work, task
Ferretería - ironmonger's shop
Finca - a farm or smallholding
Fuente - a spring of water. If your land has one be sure to find out about your and other peoples rights to use it
Gallinera - chicken shed ( from gallina - chicken, hen )
Gasolinera - garage, as in petrol station
Hacienda - tax office
Hormigon - concrete ( not concreto which means definite )
Hormigonera - cement mixer
Hostal - a cheap hotel
Huerto - a garden or a vegetable plot
Invernadero - a plant nursery or garden centre
Ladrillo - a clay building brick. Available in awide range of shapes and sizes
Leña - firewood. Usually sold by the kilo. Olive and almond are both good but make sure that they are properly seasoned otherwise you may have problems with your chimney.
Leñera - woodshed
Launa - grey shale used traditionally as a roof covering
Linde - boundary. Make sure yours are clearly marked and agreed by neighbours
Luz - literally light but usually means electricity. Luz de la red is mains electricity
Madera - timber
Manguera - hosepipe
Muro - wall
Motosierra - chain saw
Obra - building project
Nave - an agricultural building. Often sold as a house but legally is not licenced for living in. A change of use can sometimes be obtained but treat with caution
Notario - notary. A government approved lawyer authorised to witness contracts, exchange of property deeds and other important legal documents
Pala - shovel
Palo - pole
Palustra, palustre - cement trowel
Peon - a workman. Often availble for employment on a daily or weekly basis for either land or building work
Piscina - swimming pool
Placa solar - solar panel
Regante - a user of an acequia. Usually a member of the local Communidad de Regantes - a self governing body which ensures that each member receives the correct amount of water with which to irrigate his/her land and that the acequia is kept in good repair
Registro - local land registry
Respuesto, Recambio - spare part particularly for a car or machine
Tabique - a thin clay brick or an internal wall made from them
Torna - the point where water leaves an acequia and goes onto the land. Its mechanism may be a steel compuerta, a pile of gravel, a clump of grass, a stone, a plastic bag or a combination of any of these
Trabajo - work
Trabajador, trabajadora - worker
Trato - deal, agreement
Trastero - storeroom
Vecino/a - neighbour. It's a good idea to meet him or her before buying a property, particularly if in the country
Viga - a beam or rafter. Available in various types of wood ( round, square, smooth or rough ) or in steel or concrete
Yeso - locally made lime plaster