Computer Vocabulary

Anti-virus software - A program that finds and removes viruses from a computer.

Bit, bytes - A bit is the smallest piece of information that computers use. For simplicity, a PC uses bits in
groups of 8 called bytes (8 bits = 1 byte).

Boot, boot up, boot disk - You boot (or boot up) your computer when you switch it on and wait while it
prepares itself. Instructions for startup are given to the computer from the boot disk, which is usually the
hard disk.

Browser, to browse - A browser is a program like Netscape or Internet Explorer. You use it to view or
browse the Internet.

Cache - A kind of memory used to make a computer work faster.

CD-ROM - A disk for storing computer information. It looks like an audio CD.

CPU - Central Processing Unit. This is a PC's heart or 'brains'.

DOS - Disk Operating System. The original system used for PCs. You type in commands instead of
pointing and clicking.

Driver - A small program that tells a PC how a peripheral works.

Electronic mail (email, e-mail) - Messages sent from one computer to another. You can see email on the
screen or print it out.

Folder (directory) - A sub-division of a computer's hard disk into which you put files.

Font - A particular sort of lettering (on the screen or on paper). Arial is a font. Times New Roman is
another.

Format - All hard disks and floppy disks have to be electronically prepared for use by a process called
formatting. Hard disks are pre-formatted by the computer manufacturer. If you buy a floppy disk that is not
pre-formatted, you format it yourself, using a program that comes with your PC.

Graphics card - The equipment inside a computer that creates the image on the screen.

Hard disk - The main disk inside a computer used for storing programs and information. It is hard because
it is metal. See floppy disk.

Icon - A small image or picture on a computer screen that is a symbol for folders, disks, peripherals,
programs etc.

Internet - International network of computers that you connect to by telephone line. Two popular services
of the Internet are the World Wide Web and electronic mail.

Kb, Mb, Gb - Kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes. Used to measure computer memory and storage.
Memory - Memory is for the temporary storing of information while a computer is being used. See RAM,
ROM and Cache.

MHz - Megahertz. This describes the speed of computer equipment. The higher the MHz the better the
performance.

Modem - Equipment connected to a computer for sending/receiving digital information by telephone line.
You need a modem to connect to the Internet, to send electronic mail and to fax.

Operating System - The basic software that manages a computer.

OCR - Optical Character Recognition. OCR lets a PC read a fax or scanned image and convert it to actual
lettering.

Parallel port - A socket at the back of a computer for connecting external equipment or peripherals,
especially printers.

PC card - A device that is the same size as a thick credit card, for plugging into a slot on notebook
computers. You can buy memory, modems and hard disks as PC cards.

Peripheral - Any equipment that is connected externally to a computer. For example, printers, scanners and
modems are peripherals.

Pixel - The image that you see on the screen is made of thousands of tiny dots, points or pixels.

Program Software that operates a PC and does various things, such as writing text (word-processing
program), keeping accounts (accounts program) and drawing pictures (graphics program).

RAM, ROM - Two types of memory. RAM (Random Access Memory) is the main memory used while the
PC is working. RAM is temporary. ROM (Read Only Memory) is for information needed by the PC and
cannot be changed.

Resolution - The number of dots or pixels per inch (sometimes per centimetre) used to create the screen
image.

Scanner - Equipment for converting paper documents to electronic documents that can be used by a
computer.

Serial port - Socket at the back of a PC for connecting peripherals.

Taskbar, Start button - Two areas of the screen in Windows 95. The taskbar, at the bottom of the screen,
shows the programs in use. The start button, in the bottom left corner, is for opening new programs.

Virus - A small, unauthorized program that can damage a PC.

Windows - An operating system used by the majority of PCs.

World Wide Web, WWW, the Web - WWW are initials that stand for World Wide Web. The Web is one
of the services available on the Internet. It lets you access millions of pages through a system of links.
Because it is 'world-wide', it was originally called the World Wide Web or WWW.

WYSIWIG - 'What You See Is What You Get.' With a WYSIWIG program, if you print a document it
looks the same on paper as it looks on the screen.
English Spanish

/ barra

: dos puntos

@ (at) arroba

address book Libreta de direcciones

answer questions responder a preguntas

attached files archivos adjuntos

back (the name of the back button) Atrás, Regresar

bandwidth ancho de banda

banner banner

bold negrita

bookmark Favorito, marcador

box (a little box on web forms) casilla

browser (the programme) navegador, explorador de Web

button botón

check the box marcar la casilla

choose (imperative) elija

click (imperative) haga clic (usted) haz clic (tu)

credit card tarjeta de crédito

cyberspace ciberespacio (m)

database base de datos

digital signature firma digital

dot com punto com

download bajar, descargar, hacer un download, bajar

archivos, capturar, copiar

drag arrastrar

drop (as in drag and drop) pegar

drop down list, drop down menu, pop-up menu menu desplegable

email address dirección de correo electrónico

encrypted mail correo cifrado

FAQ (frequently asked questions) preguntas más frecuentes, preguntas formuladas
frecuentemente

file transfer transferencia de ficheros

folder carpeta

form formulario

Forward (the name of the forward button) adelante

frames: (as in frames pages) marcos

guestbook libro de visitas

handle (nickname) apodo

homepage página principal, página inicial

hyperlink hiperenlace

icon ícono

inbox bandeja de entrada

ISP proveedor de servicios Internet (also ISP)

keyboard teclado

keyword palabra clave

laptop computer equipo portátil

link enlace, vínculo

loop bucle

lurker mirón

lurking fisgoneo, mironeo

message headings encabezados de mensajes

modem módem

motor de búsqueda search engine

mouse ratón

mouse button botón del ratón

mouse pad alfombrilla de ráton

netiquette etiqueta de la red, etiqueta de Internet

network red

newsgroup grupo de noticias

newsgroup grupo de noticias

on-line auctions subastas on-line

outbox bandeja de salida

outgoing messages mensajes salientes

password contraseña

preferences preferencias

public domain dominio publico

real time chat charla en tiempo real

reply to all Responder a todos

rough copy borrador

run (execute) ejecutar

save guardar

secure server servidor seguro

secure web site sitio Web seguro

sent box (in email programme) elementos enviados

shopping cart carro de la compra

SPAM (unwanted messages) mensajes no deseados

stop (the stop button on the browser) detener

store almacenar

subject (of an email message) asunto

subscribe suscribirse

surf navegar

template plantilla

the clipboard Portapapeles

the internet internet (note that they don't use "el" before)

the little padlock you see on secure web sites. icono de cerradura

the person a message is sent to destinatario

the place (where something is kept) la ubicación

to attach (to emails) adjuntar

 to compose/write some text redactar

to go back regresar

to manage or look after. gestionar

toolbar barra de herramientas

trash, deleted items (in email programme) elementos eliminados

updated, update, an update actualizado, actualizar, una actualización

upload (verb) subir, cargar, copiar

user name nombre de usuario

web page página Web

web page address, url dirección de una página web, url

web site, site sitio web, sitio

word wrap retorno automático de la palabra

backup — la copia de seguridad (verb, hacer una copia/archivo de seguridad)

battery — la pila
bandwidth — la amplitud de banda
bookmark — el favorito, el marcador, el marcapáginas
browser — el navegador (web), el browser
bug — el fallo, el error, el bug
button (as on a mouse) — el botón
byte, kilobyte, megabyte — byte, kilobyte, megabyte
cable — el cable
card — la tarjeta
CD-ROM — CD-ROM
click (noun) — el clic
click (verb) — hacer clic, cliquear, presionar, pulsar
computer — la computadora (sometimes el computador), el ordenador
cursor — el cursor
cut and paste — cortar y pegar
data — los datos
desktop (of a computer screen) — el escritorio, la pantalla
digital — digital
domain — el dominio
dot (in Internet addresses) — el punto
download — descargar
driver — el controlador de dispositivo, el driver

email — el correo electrónico, el email

erase, delete — borrar
file — el archivo
flash memory — la memoria flash
folder — la carpeta
frequently asked questions, FAQ — las preguntas más frecuentes, las preguntas de uso frecuente, las preguntas
(más) comunes, las FAQ, las PUF
hard drive — el disco duro
hertz, megahertz, gigahertz — hertz, megahertz, gigahertz
high resolution — resolución alta, definición alta
home page — la página inicial, la página principal, la portada
icon — el icono
install — instalar
Internet — la internet, el internet, la Red
key (of a keyboard) — la tecla
keyboard — el teclado
keyword — la palabra clave
laptop (computer) — el plegable, la computadora portátil, el ordenador portátil
LCD — LCD
link — el enlace, la conexión, el vínculo
memory — la memoria
menu — el menú
message — el mensaje
modem — el módem
mouse — el ratón, el mouse
multitasking — la multitarea
network — la red
operating system — el sistema operativo, el código operacional
password — la contraseña
print (verb) — imprimir
printer — la impresora
processor — el procesador
program — el programa (verb, programar)
RAM — la RAM
save (a file or document) — guardar
screen — la pantalla
screensaver — el salvapantallas
search engine — el buscador, el servidor de búsqueda,
slash (/) — la barra, la barra oblicua
server — el servidor
software — el software
spam — el correo basura, el spam
streaming — streaming
toolbar — la barra de herramientas
USB, USB port — USB, puerto USB
video — el video
virus — el virus
web page — la página web (plural las páginas web)
website — el web (plural los webs), el sitio web (plural los sitios web)
window — la ventana
wireless — inalámbrico