To say “brush” in Spanish, you need to know the difference between un cepillo (a bristled brush for hair, teeth, or cleaning) and un pincel (a brush for painting or decorating). These aren’t the only words for “brush” in Spanish, either. Languages rarely translate word-to-word. Many Spanish nouns for simple everyday objects will vary in translation between ideas and sometimes even between regions of the Spanish-speaking world.
Imagine asking for a pincel and getting a paintbrush, when what you meant was a cepillo de dientes (a toothbrush). This is why your language-learning method is crucial. Proven methods like Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion introduce you to words in context, so instead of translating from a single English word, you’re learning the correct Spanish word for the object or idea.
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Personal care brushes
The general word for a bristled brush used for cleaning or for hair is un cepillo. You can specify which type you need if the context isn’t already clear, whether you need a particular style of hairbrush in Spanish or you’re looking for the best type of toothbrush.
- ¿Has visto mi cepillo? = Have you seen my brush?
- ¿Es mi cepillo de dientes a mi, o es el tuyo? = Is this my toothbrush or is it yours?
- Uso un cepillo desenredante después de lavarme el cabello. = I use a detangling brush after washing my hair.
You’ll find the majority of these brushes in the bathroom in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| unas cerdas (duras/suaves/blandas) | (stiff/soft) bristles |
| un cepillo de dientes/un cepillo dental | toothbrush |
| un cepillo de dientes eléctrico | electric toothbrush |
| un cepillo de dientes manual | manual toothbrush |
| un cepillo para cabello/para pelo | hairbrush |
| un cepillo desenredante | detangling hairbrush |
| un cepillo raqueta | paddle brush (larger and flat) |
| un cepillo redondo | round brush |
| un cepillo térmico | thermal brush (for styling with a hairdryer) |
Brushes for cleaning or creativity
If you’re an artist, musician, or you’re redecorating your house, you need to choose the correct tool. You can search for a cepillo de limpieza (a house-cleaning brush) for the specific task you want to accomplish. You might want to clean up some arbustos (low shrubs/brush) in your landscaping, for example.
When it’s time to get creative and paint the walls, express yourself on a canvas, or drum along to your favorite Spanish music with brushes instead of sticks, you will need the proper term.
| Spanish | English |
| una brocha | brush for painting walls |
| una brocha angular | angled brush |
| una brocha de espuma | foam/sponge brush |
| unas escobillas (para batería) | drum brushes for playing percussion |
| un pincel (de artista) | artist’s paintbrush |
| un pincel delineador | liner (fine-tipped paintbrush) |
| un pincel redondo | round-tipped paintbrush |
How do you say ‘to brush’ in Spanish?
It depends on who or what you’re brushing. This question is a perfect way to grasp the difference between the verb cepillar (to brush) and cepillarse (to brush, reflexive). Some verbs are used reflexively in Spanish when the subject (who is brushing) and the object (who or what is being brushed) are the same.
Cepillar (non-reflexive)
Use cepillar, a regular -AR verb, without reflexive pronouns, when someone is brushing a separate being like their dog, their child, or an object like scrubbing the floor with a brush. In these cases, simply follow the regular conjugation of cepillar.
- La mujer cepilla el pelo de su perro. = The woman brushes her dog’s fur.
- La niña cepilla los dientes de su muñeca. = The girl brushes her doll’s teeth.
- Cepillo las botas sucias antes de ir al trabajo. = I brush off the dirty boots before going to work.
cepillar (to brush)
| yo cepillo | I brush | nosotros cepillamos | we brush |
| tú cepillas | you brush (informal) | vosotros cepilláis | you brush (informal, plural – Spain only) |
| él/ella cepilla | he/she brushes | ellos/ellas cepillan | they brush |
| usted cepilla | you brush (formal) | ustedes cepillan | you brush (plural) |
Cepillarse (reflexive)
Use cepillarse, a reflexive verb, with the reflexive pronouns, when someone is brushing their own hair or teeth. Contrasting these examples with the ones above, you can see the differences in verbs used reflexively or not.
- La mujer se cepilla el pelo. = The woman brushes her hair.
- La niña se cepilla los dientes. = The girl brushes her teeth.
- Me cepillo antes de ir al trabajo. = I brush my hair before going to work.
The direct translation isn’t “brush your teeth” in Spanish, it’s “brush the teeth.” In Spanish it’s not necessary to add any possessives to the sentence, as it’s implied already that it’s your own hair that you’re brushing.
cepillarse (to brush)
| yo me cepillo | I brush | nosotros nos cepillamos | we brush |
| tú te cepillas | you brush (informal) | vosotros os cepilláis | you brush (informal, plural – Spain only) |
| él/ella se cepilla | he/she brushes | ellos/ellas se cepillan | they brush |
| usted se cepilla | you brush (formal) | ustedes se cepillan | you brush (plural) |
Other translations of ‘brush’ in Spanish
Spanish and English are both filled with a beautiful variety of vocabulary and rich ways to express oneself. You can clearly see this with the difference between someone “bumping” against something and “brushing” against it. Here are a few more options, so that you can express “brush” in Spanish in any situation.
| Spanish | English |
| aplicar | to apply (to brush something on something else) |
| el matorral | low dense shrubs or plants (the brush) |
| no hacer caso | to not pay attention to (to brush off) |
| quitar | to remove (to brush off, as in dust/snow) |
| repasar | to review (to brush up on) |
| un roce de | a close encounter (a brush with) |
| rozar | (a soft passing touch) to brush against |
Key takeaways about ‘brush’ in Spanish
The common ways to talk about brushes can be broken down into a few categories, but aren’t interchangeable.
- Use un cepillo for brushes for cleaning or personal care.
- Use un pincel for an artist’s paintbrush in Spanish.
- The verb cepillarse is used reflexively for someone brushing their own hair or teeth.
- Learn idioms and phrases that use the word “brush” as you explore the rich variety of expressions in the Spanish language.
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