Spanish Phrase
No sobrecargues los enchufes.
Meaning
A direct warning telling someone not to plug too many devices into an electrical outlet, because doing so can cause a short circuit or fire. The phrase carries a sense of urgency and responsibility for safety.
When to use
Use this sentence when giving household safety advice, in a rental agreement, during a fire‑prevention workshop, or whenever you notice someone trying to connect several appliances to the same socket.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Nosobrecargueslosenchufes
Negación (No)
‘No’ placed before a verb creates a negative command or statement.
Imperativo negativo (sobrecargues)
The verb ‘sobrecargar’ in the second‑person singular present subjunctive (‑es) works as a polite negative command: ‘don’t overload.’
Artículo definido plural (los)
‘Los’ agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies – here the plural masculine noun ‘enchufes.’
Sustantivo plural (enchufes)
‘Enchufe’ = electrical outlet; the plural ‘enchufes’ refers to more than one socket or to the concept of sockets in general.
🗨In Conversation
¿Puedo conectar la plancha y la tostadora al mismo enchufe?
Can I plug the iron and the toaster into the same outlet?
No sobrecargues los enchufes.
Don’t overload the sockets.
✕Common Mistakes
No sobrecargar los enchufes.
The infinitive ‘sobrecargar’ does not form a command; you need the subjunctive form ‘sobrecargues.’
No sobrecargues el enchufe.
‘Enchufe’ is plural here, so the article must be ‘los,’ not ‘el.’
No cargar los enchufes.
‘Cargar’ alone means ‘to charge’ or ‘to load’; it does not convey the idea of overloading a circuit.
↔Alternatives
No sobrecargues los tomacorrientes.
Don’t overload the power sockets.
No cargues demasiado los enchufes.
Don’t put too much load on the outlets.
No pongas demasiados aparatos en el mismo enchufe.
Don’t put too many devices on the same outlet.
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking countries the standard voltage is 220‑240 V, which makes overloading a socket especially dangerous. The word ‘enchufe’ is the everyday term for an electrical outlet, while ‘tomacorriente’ is more formal. When giving safety advice, a firm but polite tone (using the negative imperative) is preferred; it shows care without sounding overly authoritarian.