What is the correct word for parking lot?

Question

Is it estacionamiento or aparcamiento ?

Answer 1

Estacionamiento

All the other versions are a form of Spanglish even though they are used in certain countries.

No kidding, I still remember 'El Parking' from Spain and 'El Snack' - margaretbl, Jul 26, 2010

Answer 2

estacionamiento...R A E

aparcamiento...R A E

aparcadero->RAE->http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltConsulta?TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=aparcadero - kawalero, Jul 27, 2010

Answer 3

Estacionamiento, though you come across many others in use, depending on the country. For example, in Colombia they like to use parquedero and in El Sal parqueo is most common.

Answer 4

I think of aparcamiento as parking spot, like a single space, and estacionamiento as a parking lot, that's how I learned it anyway.

single space is "plaza de aparcamiento" (parking place). The normal construction is "aparcadero" but all people say "aparcamiento" or parking - kawalero, Jul 27, 2010

Huh, well I learned it from Pimsleur. - jeezzle, Jul 27, 2010

Answer 5

Aparcamiento is carpark, well we say carpark in England whereas in USA I think you say parking lot. Estacionamiento is the actual process of parking a vehicle.

Answer 6

In Spain "Aparcamiento" and as well "Parking"

Answer 7

In the RAE you can find both aparcamiento and estacionamiento but you will not find an entry for "parking"

The RAE also lists Parqueadero as used in Bolivia and Colombia (and I have seen other sources which claim that it is used in the US - Spanglish and Ecuador as well)

I guess it boils down to whether you are going to "aparcar el coche" or "estacionar el coche."

Parking es un anglicismo - kawalero, Jul 26, 2010

Gracias Kawalero, entiendo. Por eso no lo encontraré en el DRAE - Izanoni1, Jul 26, 2010

Here in Southern California we parqueamos el carro. ;-) - KevinB, Jul 26, 2010

The RAE is doing it's best, I was invited to lunchera by some Peruvian friends. - margaretbl, Jul 26, 2010

@Margaretbl: Here in Texas you sometimes hear "el lonche" - Izanoni1, Jul 26, 2010

Answer 8

You'll see El Parking in many places, too. Proper Spanish? No. Commonly used? Yes.

Answer 9

In our dictionary there is this entry: parking lot -> aparcamiento (m) (Estados Unidos Esp)