Thread: "Vending Machine"

How would you translate into Spanish "vending machine"? As I had to give directions to the men's bathroom which is located directly in front of the "vending machines" but I could not think of a proper word to use. So of course my Spanglish came out and I directed him towards "la maquinas de los chips y sodas" What would be the proper terminology?

I think the correct translation is : "Máquina expendedora" because you need money to operate it. But you can use "maquina de café" or "expendedora de café" for example. "Maquina de café" is the one you have at home and "expendedora de café" you need money (not in all cases) to use it.

Gracias Jonatane. I would have never thought maquina expendedora as the translation for vending machine. There are machines that you need money to make coffee but there are the machines that have chips and chocolate bars inside. There are also the ones with soda, water and juices. I would think that the ones that serve only coffee you would refer to as "expendedora de cafe" and all the other vending machines as "maquina expendedora".

"Máquina expendedora" is not a common word at least here in Argentina, but it's one of those expressions that everyone at least in Latin America knows because of the way it is translated and/or dubbed in the TV Series and Cartoons. I'd say its the most neutral translation. Usually we skip the "vending" part. If its of soda we just say "Soda Machine" for example.