grúa

crane

noun GROO-ah Rare

Origin: From the bird grúa (crane), whose long neck resembles the machine

Also means

tow truck

Usage Note

Grúa covers both a construction crane and, in everyday urban Spanish, the municipal tow truck that removes illegally parked cars. Me han llevado la grúa ('the tow truck has taken my car') is a very common phrase. The construction crane is also called grúa torre.

Examples

"La grúa retiró el coche mal aparcado."

Natural Translation

The tow truck removed the badly parked car.

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