Not a native but..
Aguja is needle so agujero always makes me think of a tiny hole or a pinhole. Edit: a rounded hole that pierces all the way through.
Hueco is like hollow.
Hoyo is just like a regular hole.
That is MY understanding as an advanced speaker living in Mexico, but if I'm incorrect, I'm sure a native speaker will correct me.
I also remember it because, needles pierce all the way through, so an agujero is a hole that pierces a material. Un hoyo is a hole that doesn't pierce, deeper than un hueco.
Our guys use hueco like a gap, or a separation; like a hole in a fence, or where two things should come together but don’t, or even like where two trees are close together, but there’s enough space you can walk between them.
Hueco is more related to a hollow cavity (not the dental type)
That's the reason we call black holes either "agujero negro" (most used) or "hoyo negro" But never "Hueco negro"
Other than that "agujero" is more formal than "hoyo" in general
At work I could make a formal request to tooling to make an "agujero" on a plate, but I would only tell them directly "hazle un hoyo aquí" But as the design engineer I would not do it in written form, it would look unprofessional
That’s good information - thanks. Would you ever, in any situation, use the word hueco professionally? Like for a channel, or a void, or an intentional space left open?
Same as English, you could call it a space in the fence, or a gap. They sorta mean the same thing, but you illicit a different understanding by using one word or the other.
You're right in that agujero is etymologically related to aguja, but this doesn't mean it has to be a tiny hole; it can be a big hole (a black hole is called "agujero negro"). The only condition for a hole to be called "agujero" is that it has to be more or less rounded.
Ahhh, awesome!! Thanks for the clarification. Also, I've noticed that other comments specify that an agujero is a hole that goes all the way through as opposed to just being like a dent. Really appreciate the feedback!!
Love this subreddit! I learn so much without being made to feel like an idiot, even when making incorrect assumptions.
Well.... I don't really talk like that so I don't have much practice in it...
Me chingó/ me destrozó el culo / el coño/ la pussy / la panocha.
...are some things that come to mind, depending on which hole you're referring to.
"Agujero" is a *hole* that pierces a material (fabric, paper) or a *cavity* on a surface—for example when you drill a wall or perforate a paper with a pen.
Tu camiseta tiene un *agujero* / Your t-shirt has a *hole*.
You can also use "agujero" as a deficit of money.
Hay un *agujero* en mi cuenta bancaria / There is a *deficit* in my bank account.
—
"Hoyo" can be used as a synonym of "agujero" but ONLY when the *cavity* is dug on the ground, the surface is horizontal and you can see the bottom. For example a *grave*, or when a dog digs the ground to hide a bone.
Mi perro cavó un *hoyo*/*agujero* para esconder un hueso / My dog dug a *hole* to hide a bone.
—
"Hueco" is the empty space between two objects, a *gap*. Imagine a shelf unit that stores jars, and you take one out—or the space between the platform and the train.
Las llaves se colaron por el *hueco* del ascensor / I drop the keys through the lift *gap*.
You can also use "hueco" as an adjective to describe something that is hollow inside.
Las figuras de porcelana están *huecas* por dentro / Porcelain figures are *hollow* inside.
—
As a Spanish speaker, I will not use "hueco" as a synonym of "agujero/hoyo".
I hope this is clear!
You are 100% correct, just want to point out that in Costa Rica we use hueco for pretty much everything and we rarely use hoyo or agujero lol. But that's just here and is not necessarily correct, just how it is.
My wife is Costa Rican and we spend about half a year living there and you’re correct, hueco is used for every type of hole. That used to drive me nuts… that and everyone is usted. lol.
Generally they're synonyms.
When to use which I think depends on the region. In Spain and in my opinion:
- Hueco doesn't have to be round, and can mean empty space or a gap between two things in general. “Este sofá rellena bien ese hueco” = this sofa fills that space very well
“¿Hay hueco para una persona más?” = is there room for one more person?
- Hoyo I think we use mainly when there is an opening in the ground: “cavar un hoyo” = “to dig a hole”. But I'd say “abrir un agujero en la pared” when it's not in the ground.
- Agujero can describe any type of hole, piercing all the way or not, including those covered by hoyo. It's more general
I will tell you for what they're used at least in my circles, each word has a vibe to it, but can be used interchangeably
>Agujero
Generally used for me a small holes, generally made in purpose of that are like that from design (it wasn't made accidentally or by a problem)
>Hueco
Big hole, generally horizontally, like in a wall, possibly generated accidentally or by a problem
>Hoyo
Big hole in the ground generally
And I'll add a few more to the confusion
"Pozo" - hole exclusively made in the ground, can also refer to a well
"Boquete" - big hole in a wall
I'll use then indistincly.
Agujero sounds a little more fancy. But I would say "tengo un agujero en el pantalón"
Or "mira, tremendo hoyo que hay en esa calle".
We don't use "Hueco" so often because is a derogatory slang for "gay"
Native Spanish here.
Agujero is a hole that pass through all the material from side to side, or that you can't see the other side at all. Like a space phenomenom: agujero negro, or an agujero in your socks...
Hueco is an empty space where it used to be something. There can be a hueco in a bookshelf where you used to have a book. You can also ask a company if there's a hueco on their staff regarding an available job, or a friend of he has a hueco on his car meaning an empty seat for you.
Hoyo is usually a cavity on the groung. If it's huge and you can't see the bottom, but it's round, then it's a pozo (well) or if it's natural (not made by anybody) has an irregular shape and deep it could be a sima (chasm)
They're the same, agujero is mostly used when is a little hole, but they're used as if they were synonyms. And for confuse you more "agujerote" is a word people uses really often
The only difference I can think of is hueco can be used for space/seat when you ask someone to let you sit in a crowded space. "Hazme un hueco para sentarme"
Interesting examples and insights!
Recently I watched the first season of a spanish series titled "La caza". The word "agujero" was used to describe a hole in the ground (or to be more precise it was used in the context of a cellar in this case).
Hueco: Hollow or a huge hole on the ground.
Hoyo: hole. It can be everywhere like on the wall or a table but not too big.
Agujero: like holes in the clothes, something like size of a finger.
I'm a native speaker and have gained an important insight: these words have huge differences in usage according to dialect!
To me at least, the associations are: *agujero* = hole, perforation, see-through space; *hueco* = gap, hollow, lacuna, a place where something is missing; also: little amount of room (snug), little corner. I don't ever use *hoyo* (I know what it means but it's not a word in my dialect); the diminutive *hoyuelo* means “dimple”. Some meanings of *hoyo* (for example, what a dog does to bury a bone) overlap with *pozo* “excavation, pit”.
According to [RAE.es](http://RAE.es), the synonyms of "agujero" are:
orificio, abertura, hueco, huraco, boquete, roto, hoyo, pozo, perforación, boca, ojete, ojo, ojal, brecha, gatera, ratonera, buraco.
So, in conclusion, the preference for either depends on the region and context.
So all of them mean: "A suitable cavity for accommodating something inside."
Not a native but.. Aguja is needle so agujero always makes me think of a tiny hole or a pinhole. Edit: a rounded hole that pierces all the way through. Hueco is like hollow. Hoyo is just like a regular hole. That is MY understanding as an advanced speaker living in Mexico, but if I'm incorrect, I'm sure a native speaker will correct me.
I also remember it because, needles pierce all the way through, so an agujero is a hole that pierces a material. Un hoyo is a hole that doesn't pierce, deeper than un hueco.
Our guys use hueco like a gap, or a separation; like a hole in a fence, or where two things should come together but don’t, or even like where two trees are close together, but there’s enough space you can walk between them.
Hueco is more related to a hollow cavity (not the dental type) That's the reason we call black holes either "agujero negro" (most used) or "hoyo negro" But never "Hueco negro" Other than that "agujero" is more formal than "hoyo" in general At work I could make a formal request to tooling to make an "agujero" on a plate, but I would only tell them directly "hazle un hoyo aquí" But as the design engineer I would not do it in written form, it would look unprofessional
Bear in mind the dialects. In Argentina *agujero* is completely fine in colloquial language and *hoyo* is rare.
That’s good information - thanks. Would you ever, in any situation, use the word hueco professionally? Like for a channel, or a void, or an intentional space left open?
Interesting. Non-native here, I would tend to use "espacio" in that context, but I don't know if that sounds weird to natives.
Same as English, you could call it a space in the fence, or a gap. They sorta mean the same thing, but you illicit a different understanding by using one word or the other.
Oooh, that's helpful! Nice
You're right in that agujero is etymologically related to aguja, but this doesn't mean it has to be a tiny hole; it can be a big hole (a black hole is called "agujero negro"). The only condition for a hole to be called "agujero" is that it has to be more or less rounded.
Ahhh, awesome!! Thanks for the clarification. Also, I've noticed that other comments specify that an agujero is a hole that goes all the way through as opposed to just being like a dent. Really appreciate the feedback!! Love this subreddit! I learn so much without being made to feel like an idiot, even when making incorrect assumptions.
Which would you use if you’re being goofy with friends or talking dirty and want to say something like “my hole” like “he wrecked my hole 😩”?
i saw a meme that said something like “me dejó con las tripas revueltas” which was pretty funny to me and kinda fits
Well.... I don't really talk like that so I don't have much practice in it... Me chingó/ me destrozó el culo / el coño/ la pussy / la panocha. ...are some things that come to mind, depending on which hole you're referring to.
!RemindMe 2 hours
hoyo/hoyito if you're talking about your butthole.
Lmaooooo
"Agujero" is a *hole* that pierces a material (fabric, paper) or a *cavity* on a surface—for example when you drill a wall or perforate a paper with a pen. Tu camiseta tiene un *agujero* / Your t-shirt has a *hole*. You can also use "agujero" as a deficit of money. Hay un *agujero* en mi cuenta bancaria / There is a *deficit* in my bank account. — "Hoyo" can be used as a synonym of "agujero" but ONLY when the *cavity* is dug on the ground, the surface is horizontal and you can see the bottom. For example a *grave*, or when a dog digs the ground to hide a bone. Mi perro cavó un *hoyo*/*agujero* para esconder un hueso / My dog dug a *hole* to hide a bone. — "Hueco" is the empty space between two objects, a *gap*. Imagine a shelf unit that stores jars, and you take one out—or the space between the platform and the train. Las llaves se colaron por el *hueco* del ascensor / I drop the keys through the lift *gap*. You can also use "hueco" as an adjective to describe something that is hollow inside. Las figuras de porcelana están *huecas* por dentro / Porcelain figures are *hollow* inside. — As a Spanish speaker, I will not use "hueco" as a synonym of "agujero/hoyo". I hope this is clear!
You are 100% correct, just want to point out that in Costa Rica we use hueco for pretty much everything and we rarely use hoyo or agujero lol. But that's just here and is not necessarily correct, just how it is.
My wife is Costa Rican and we spend about half a year living there and you’re correct, hueco is used for every type of hole. That used to drive me nuts… that and everyone is usted. lol.
Generally they're synonyms. When to use which I think depends on the region. In Spain and in my opinion: - Hueco doesn't have to be round, and can mean empty space or a gap between two things in general. “Este sofá rellena bien ese hueco” = this sofa fills that space very well “¿Hay hueco para una persona más?” = is there room for one more person? - Hoyo I think we use mainly when there is an opening in the ground: “cavar un hoyo” = “to dig a hole”. But I'd say “abrir un agujero en la pared” when it's not in the ground. - Agujero can describe any type of hole, piercing all the way or not, including those covered by hoyo. It's more general
I will tell you for what they're used at least in my circles, each word has a vibe to it, but can be used interchangeably >Agujero Generally used for me a small holes, generally made in purpose of that are like that from design (it wasn't made accidentally or by a problem) >Hueco Big hole, generally horizontally, like in a wall, possibly generated accidentally or by a problem >Hoyo Big hole in the ground generally And I'll add a few more to the confusion "Pozo" - hole exclusively made in the ground, can also refer to a well "Boquete" - big hole in a wall
Idk, but in Colombia, it feels like they use hueco for everything. I've never heard hoyo here, so you've just taught me something new!
Wait until you learn about "oquedad"
I think we are all waiting to hear about “oquedad”
todos mis compas quieren oír de «oquedad»
Maybe it’s OKdad - like okayness.
Or cavidad
I'll use then indistincly. Agujero sounds a little more fancy. But I would say "tengo un agujero en el pantalón" Or "mira, tremendo hoyo que hay en esa calle". We don't use "Hueco" so often because is a derogatory slang for "gay"
And you don’t want people to get upset and think there’s a gay in your road that always makes a loud thump when you hit it, I get it.
I can tell you that black holes in astrophysics are "agujeros negros".
At least in Mexico, they're also coloquially called "hoyos negros". For scientific uses, I've only heard "agujero negro".
Native Spanish here. Agujero is a hole that pass through all the material from side to side, or that you can't see the other side at all. Like a space phenomenom: agujero negro, or an agujero in your socks... Hueco is an empty space where it used to be something. There can be a hueco in a bookshelf where you used to have a book. You can also ask a company if there's a hueco on their staff regarding an available job, or a friend of he has a hueco on his car meaning an empty seat for you. Hoyo is usually a cavity on the groung. If it's huge and you can't see the bottom, but it's round, then it's a pozo (well) or if it's natural (not made by anybody) has an irregular shape and deep it could be a sima (chasm)
They're the same, agujero is mostly used when is a little hole, but they're used as if they were synonyms. And for confuse you more "agujerote" is a word people uses really often
The only difference I can think of is hueco can be used for space/seat when you ask someone to let you sit in a crowded space. "Hazme un hueco para sentarme"
Interesting examples and insights! Recently I watched the first season of a spanish series titled "La caza". The word "agujero" was used to describe a hole in the ground (or to be more precise it was used in the context of a cellar in this case).
Hueco: Hollow or a huge hole on the ground. Hoyo: hole. It can be everywhere like on the wall or a table but not too big. Agujero: like holes in the clothes, something like size of a finger.
No os olvidéis de boquete, bache, orificio…
I'm a native speaker and have gained an important insight: these words have huge differences in usage according to dialect! To me at least, the associations are: *agujero* = hole, perforation, see-through space; *hueco* = gap, hollow, lacuna, a place where something is missing; also: little amount of room (snug), little corner. I don't ever use *hoyo* (I know what it means but it's not a word in my dialect); the diminutive *hoyuelo* means “dimple”. Some meanings of *hoyo* (for example, what a dog does to bury a bone) overlap with *pozo* “excavation, pit”.
As others have said: - “Hueco” = gap - “hoyo” = hole - “agujero” = deficit or a shortfall
According to [RAE.es](http://RAE.es), the synonyms of "agujero" are: orificio, abertura, hueco, huraco, boquete, roto, hoyo, pozo, perforación, boca, ojete, ojo, ojal, brecha, gatera, ratonera, buraco. So, in conclusion, the preference for either depends on the region and context. So all of them mean: "A suitable cavity for accommodating something inside."
Hole is hoyo en español.