In Spanish, “a hole” is most often un agujero; switch to hoyo for pits and orificio for openings.
You’ll hear English speakers say “hole” for a ton of things: a tear in fabric, a pothole, a bullet hole, a hole in the wall, even a gap in a schedule. Spanish doesn’t treat all of those as one word. It splits the idea into a few common nouns, each tied to shape, size, and where the hole sits.
This page gives you the words native speakers reach for, how they sound, and when they feel right. You’ll get clean example phrases you can copy, plus quick checks so you don’t accidentally describe the wrong kind of hole.
What “a hole” means in Spanish
If you want one safe default, start with agujero. It fits most day-to-day cases: a hole in a shirt, a hole in a wall, a hole in the ground, a hole in a box. It’s the first pick in many dictionaries, and it works in plain conversation.
Then you’ve got hoyo, which leans toward a pit or hollow, often in the ground. Think golf holes, potholes, and dents. You’ve also got orificio, which feels more like an opening made for a purpose: a lock opening, a socket opening, the opening of a pipe, a buttonhole.
There are a few more words that show up often enough to learn early. Hueco is about emptiness or a cavity, and it also works for “gap” in some contexts. Boquete suggests a big, rough hole, often caused by damage. Perforación points to the act or result of drilling or piercing.
How to say a hole in Spanish in daily speech
Start with the phrase pattern you’ll use most: un agujero en… (“a hole in…”). It’s short, it’s natural, and it covers many situations without sounding stiff.
Here are a few daily lines you can steal:
- Tengo un agujero en la camiseta. (I’ve got a hole in the T-shirt.)
- Hay un agujero en la pared. (There’s a hole in the wall.)
- Se hizo un agujero en el bolsillo. (A hole formed in the pocket.)
- Dejé un agujero en la caja. (I left a hole in the box.)
If you’re talking about a pit in the ground or a dent, swap in hoyo:
- Cuidado con el hoyo en la calle. (Watch the pothole in the street.)
- El balón cayó en un hoyo. (The ball fell into a hole.)
Gender, plurals, and the little forms people use
Most of these nouns are masculine: el agujero, el hoyo, el orificio, el boquete. One common one is masculine too: el hueco. Plurals are simple: agujeros, hoyos, orificios, boquetes, huecos.
In casual speech you’ll hear diminutives when the hole is small or when someone wants to soften the tone: agujerito, hoyito, huequito. They’re not separate dictionary meanings; they just add “small” or “cute” flavor. Use them with friends, family, or relaxed talk.
Pronunciation you can trust
Spanish spelling is friendly once you know a couple of rules. The j in agujero sounds like a strong throaty “h” in many accents. The h in hoyo is silent, so it starts like “OY-oh.” The ci in orificio is “see” in Latin America; in much of Spain it’s closer to “thee.” Either way, you’ll be understood.
Say them slowly once, then speed up: a-gu-je-ro, ho-yo, o-ri-fi-cio. Stress is where you’d expect: a-gu-JE-ro, HO-yo, o-ri-FI-cio.
Pick the right word by the shape and purpose
When you’re unsure, ask one short question: is it a random gap, a pit, or an opening that’s meant to be there? That choice gets you to the right word fast.
Agujero is your all-purpose workhorse. It suits damage, wear and tear, and simple descriptions. Hoyo leans physical and bowl-shaped. Orificio leans functional and clean-edged, the kind of opening that belongs on a device, a door, or a piece of clothing.
Hueco is about a hollow space. It can mean a cavity inside something, a gap left when something is missing, or a “space” in a schedule. That last meaning surprises a lot of learners, so it’s handy.
Common words for “hole” and when they fit
| Spanish word | Best fit | Sample phrase |
|---|---|---|
| agujero | General hole, damage, wear | Un agujero en el calcetín |
| hoyo | Pit, pothole, dent, golf hole | Un hoyo en la carretera |
| orificio | Purposeful opening, socket, lock opening | El orificio de la llave |
| hueco | Hollow, cavity, gap, empty space | Quedó un hueco en la estantería |
| boquete | Large rough hole, break-in, blast damage | Un boquete en la pared |
| perforación | Drilled or pierced hole, the result of piercing | La perforación quedó torcida |
| agujerito | Small hole, casual tone | Un agujerito en el papel |
| hoyito | Small pit, playful tone | Un hoyito en la arena |
Use-ready phrases for the most common situations
The fastest way to sound natural is to learn a few set phrases and swap the object. Spanish does this all the time. You don’t need fancy grammar; you need the right noun and a clean preposition.
Holes in clothes and fabric
For clothing, agujero is the normal choice when it’s damage: un agujero en la camiseta. If you mean a buttonhole made on purpose, orificio or ojal works. Ojal is a specific word for buttonhole, so it’s great when that’s exactly what you mean.
- Se me hizo un agujero en el pantalón.
- El ojal está muy apretado.
Holes in walls, doors, and wood
If you drilled it, you can still call it agujero. If you want to sound precise, pair it with the action: un agujero taladrado (a drilled hole). For a clean, designed opening like a peephole or a lock opening, orificio works well.
- Hicieron un agujero para pasar el cable.
- El orificio está tapado.
Holes in the ground, potholes, and dents
Hoyo shines here. A pothole is often un hoyo or un bache. Bache is “pothole” in a road sense, so it’s a good bonus word if you drive or bike.
- Hay un bache enorme.
- El perro cavó un hoyo en el jardín.
Holes in objects, devices, and parts
If you mean an opening on a tool, a pipe, a plug, or a machine, orificio often sounds right. It can feel a bit technical, yet people use it in daily talk when the opening has a clear role.
- El orificio del tornillo no coincide.
- Mete el cable por ese orificio.
Gaps, cavities, and “a hole” in your schedule
English uses “a hole” for missing time or missing content. Spanish often uses hueco. You can say tengo un hueco to mean you’ve got an open slot in your day.
- Tengo un hueco a las tres.
- Me queda un hueco en la agenda.
Fast fixes for mistakes learners make
Most slip-ups come from translating one English word into one Spanish word each time. Spanish is pickier about the kind of hole. A quick repair is to add one clarifying word or switch to the noun that matches the shape.
Choose “agujero” when you mean damage
If something tore, ripped, wore out, or got punctured, agujero is nearly always safe. You can add size words like pequeño (small) or grande (big) without making the sentence stiff.
Choose “orificio” when the opening is meant to be there
A socket opening, a lock opening, a screw hole, an opening in a panel—these often sound cleaner with orificio. If your sentence is about aligning parts, fitting a piece, or passing a cable, orificio fits that mental picture.
Choose “hoyo” for pits and dents
When you can fall into it, step into it, or you can see it as a dip, hoyo is the word you want. If the hole is in a road, bache is also common, and it’s worth learning early.
| English intent | What to say | Why it sounds right |
|---|---|---|
| Hole from wear in clothing | un agujero | Damage or missing material |
| Pit in the ground | un hoyo | Bowl-shaped hollow you can step in |
| Road pothole | un bache / un hoyo | Common street wording |
| Lock opening or socket opening | un orificio | Functional opening with a role |
| Big rough hole from damage | un boquete | Large, messy break |
| Empty space left by something missing | un hueco | Sense of “gap” or “cavity” |
| Open time slot in a schedule | un hueco | Common phrase for free time |
Mini dialogues you can copy
Short back-and-forth lines help you lock the words in place. Read them out loud once. Then swap in your own nouns: camiseta, pared, carretera, agenda.
At home
A:¿Qué pasó con la pared?
B:Hicieron un agujero para colgar el cuadro.
On the street
A:Frena un poco.
B:Ya lo vi, hay un hoyo enorme.
Planning your day
A:¿Puedes hablar a las cuatro?
B:Sí, tengo un hueco a esa hora.
Word choices across Spanish-speaking places
Spanish stays Spanish, yet daily word choice shifts by country. You’ll hear bache a lot for road potholes, and hoyo still works when it’s a plain pit. Some speakers use hueco more than agujero for a hollow space inside an object. In news talk you may hear boquete for a large opening after a crash or break-in. If you learn two or three options, you can match what you hear without second-guessing.
Quick checks before you speak or write
Use these fast checks when you’re about to say “hole” and you want the Spanish to land right.
- If it’s general damage or a simple opening, say agujero.
- If it’s a pit, a dip, or a dent, say hoyo.
- If it’s a designed opening that parts line up with, say orificio.
- If it’s a gap, a cavity, or free time in your calendar, say hueco.
- If it’s a big rough break, say boquete.
A tiny practice drill
Do this in one minute. Pick three objects around you and label the “hole” in each one.
- Phone charging port: orificio.
- Small tear in a sock: agujero.
- Dip in the ground outside: hoyo.
If you can do that without stopping, the words are in your mouth, not just in your notes.