Establo vs. caballeriza vs. cuadra
The Spanish words 'establo', 'caballeriza', and 'cuadra' all roughly translate to the English word 'stable', a building for housing animals. The subtle differences lie in the types of animals they typically house and their uses within different regions.
Establo
'Establo' is a general term for a stable or barn, describing a place where farm animals such as cows, horses, or sheep are kept.
Las vacas están en el establo porque hace frío afuera.
(The cows are in the barn because it's cold outside.)
El establo del granjero está lleno de ovejas.
(The farmer's stable is full of sheep.)
Caballeriza
'Caballeriza' refers specifically to a horse stable, implying that the animals housed inside are horses.
La caballeriza tiene espacio para cinco caballos.
(The horse stable has space for five horses.)
El jinete guardó su caballo en la caballeriza después de la carrera.
(The rider stored his horse in the stable after the race.)
Cuadra
'Cuadra' can be used as an alternative term for either 'esatablo' or 'caballeriza'. However, it is not commonly used in every Spanish-speaking region. In Spain, for example, it more often refers to a city block rather than a type of stable.
La cuadra de mi casa está llena de perros callejeros.
(My house block is full of stray dogs.)
La cuadra está llena de caballos y ovejas.
(The barn is full of horses and sheep.)
Summary
'Establo', 'caballeriza', and 'cuadra' all refer to some type of stable or housing for animals, primarily on farms. While 'establo' is more general, 'caballeriza' specifically refers to stables for horses. The use of 'cuadra' varies depending on geographical location, sometimes referring to city blocks instead of stables.