Do you know the names of articles of clothing in Spanish? Knowing whatclothing items in Spanish are called mighthelp you on your next Spanish quiz or, better yet, onthat shopping spree on your next vacation to a Spanish-speaking country! Let's explore some clothing vocabulary in Spanish with lots of examples from our Yabla Spanish library.
How Do You Say "Clothing" in Spanish?
First, let's note that the most common way to talk about clothing in English is with the less formal noun "clothes," which is always plural. That said, the Spanish equivalent for "clothes" or "clothing" in Spanishis the noun la ropa, which is almost always used inthe singular!Let's take a look:
Bueno, si tienes mucha ropa.
Well, if you have a lot ofclothes.
Me encanta la ropa y soy adicta a los zapatos.
I love clothes and, I'm a shoe addict.
Captions 19-20, Ricardo - La compañera de casa
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However, on some, less formal occasions, primarily in Latin America, you may come across the plural form las ropas:
vestidos básicamente con ropas de seda,
dressed basically in silk clothing,
Caption 33, Días festivos - La diablada pillareña
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Additional nouns for saying"the clothes" or "clothing" in Spanish in a general fashioninclude bothla vestimenta and la indumentaria, whereas the noun la prenda(devestir) describes an individual clothing "item" or "garment":
a esta prenda la llamamos "chompa",
we call this garment a "chompa" [jacket],
Caption 18, Ana Carolina - Lavandería
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Clothing Vocabulary in Spanish
Now, let's learn the names of some of the most commonarticles of clothing in Spanish, hearing most of them pronounced via clips from our Yabla Spanish library. For some items, we will provide several Spanish names since there is a lot of variation inhow these items are said from country to country.
Bathing suit: el traje debaño, el vestido debaño, elbañador, la malla
A mí, el vestido de baño porque ya saben, me gusta la playa.
For me, my bathing suit because, you already know, I like the beach.
Caption 41, Cleer y Lida - Juego de preguntas y respuestas
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Note that the term la malla refers to a women's swimsuit and is most commonly heard in Argentina:
Ay, Mili, pará, no tengo malla.
Oh Mili stop, I don't have a swimsuit.
Caption 35, Muñeca Brava - 9 Engaños
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Of course, the word"bikini" remains the same in Spanish:
Si hace calor... el bikini.
If it's warm... the bikini.
Caption 14, Un Viaje a Mallorca - Planificando el viaje
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Blouse: la blusa
Esta esuna blusaque tiene estampado.
This isa blousethat has a print.
Captions 36-37,Natalia de Ecuador - Vocabulario de prendas de vestir
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Cap: el gorro, la gorra
Both the masculine form el gorro and the feminine form la gorra can be used to describe a "cap" such as a baseball cap or snow hat/cap.
Esta parte de la gorra es azul.
This part of the cap is blue.
Caption 16, Luana explica - Los colores
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Un gorro de lana de color blanco.
A white wool hat.
Caption 16, Ana Carolina - Lavandería
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Dress: el vestido
Este vestido puede salir sobre unos cincuenta, sesenta euros.
This dress could go for about fifty, sixty euros.
Caption 84,75 minutos - Gangas para ricos - Part 15
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Gloves: los guantes
Los guantes, unos guantes rosaditos... -Sí.
The gloves, some pink gloves... -Yes.
Caption 52, Cleer y Carolina - De compras
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Hat: el sombrero
El sombrerois a more general term for all types of hats.
¡Mira qué bonito este sombrero!
Look how pretty this hat is!
Caption 46, Ariana - Mi Semana
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Jeans: el pantalón vaquero,los vaqueros, el jean/los jeans
yunos vaquerosgrises.
andsomegreyjeans.
Caption 41,El Aula Azul - Conversaciones sobre fotos
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que cuando te mides un jean en un almacén dicen,
that when you try on somejeans at a store they say,
Caption 28, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 8
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Pajamas: el/la piyama, el/la pijama
Noticethe alternative spellings for the nouns for "pajamas" in Spanish (one with ayand one witha j), and whileboth versionsare used with the masculine article in Spain and South America,the feminine article is employed in the rest of Latin America. Furthermore, althoughit is prevalent to see themin singular, you may also run into their plural forms (pijamas/piyamas).
A la ropa de dormir en Latinoamérica la llamamos con el anglicismo piyama,
In Latin America, we call sleepwear the anglicism "piyama" [pajamas],
Caption 11,Ana Carolina - Arreglando el dormitorio
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Pants: el pantalón, los pantalones
Interestingly, either the singular plural form of this noun can be used to refer to a pair of pants or simply "pants,"as in the following two examples:
Necesito un pantalón negro. -OK.
I need some black pants. -OK.
Caption 8, Cleer y Carolina - De compras
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"Se me han roto los pantalones", por ejemplo.
"Se me han roto los pantalones" [My pants have ripped], for example.
Caption 69, Clase Aula Azul - Se involuntario
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Scarf: la bufanda, el pañuelo
While la bufanda usually describes the type of scarf one might wear to keep warm in the snow, elpañuelorefers to more of a bandana-type scarf:
Menos mal que llevabauna bufanda.
Thank God I was wearinga scarf.
Caption 21,Aprendiendo con Zulbany - Piensa rápido
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¡Oh! ¿Y este pañuelo tan bonito?
Oh! And this really beautiful scarf?
Caption 66, Clase Aula Azul - La posesión
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Shirt: la camisa
Me gusta la camisa.
I like the shirt.
Caption 4, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 2: Sam va de compras - Part 6
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Shorts: los pantalones cortos
Algunos clubs permiten el uso depantalones cortoso bermudas.
Some clubs allow the use ofshortsor bermudas.
Caption 64,Montserrat - El golf
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Skirt: la falda
Estafaldaestá muy larga.
Thisskirtis too long.
Caption 46,Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 3
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As you may have guessed,the Spanish word for "miniskirt" isla minifalda:
Ya admití suficiente con que se pusiera la corrompisiña esa de la minifalda.
I permitted enough with you putting on that corrupt miniskirt.
Caption 15, La Sucursal del Cielo - Capítulo 1 - Part 10
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Socks: las medias, los calcetínes
Let's hear the terms for "socks" in Colombia and other parts of Latin Americavs. Spain:
Lo que acabamos de ver, en Colombia
What we just saw, in Colombia,
lo llamamos "medias", las "medias".
we call "medias"[socks], "medias."
¿En España? Son los "calcetines". -Los "calcetines".
In Spain? They're "calcetines" [socks]. -"Calcetines."
Captions 39-41,Carlos y Xavi - Part 3 Diferencias de vocabulario entre España y Colombia
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If you are interested in more such differences, check out this series on pronunciation and vocabulary differences between Spain and Colombia.
Sweatsuit: el chándal, el buzo, el jogging
Entonces no podemos olvidar el chándal tampoco.
Then we can't forget a tracksuit either.
Caption 62, Un Viaje a Mallorca - Planificando el viaje
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T-shirt:la camiseta, la remera
Andrea llevauna camisetade manga corta de color blanco
Andrea is wearingawhite short-sleevedt-shirt
Caption 40,El Aula Azul - Conversaciones sobre fotos
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Suit:el traje
se vistió con su mejortraje,
put on his bestsuit,
Caption 34,Aprendiendo con Carlos - El microrrelato
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Tank Top: la camiseta sin mangas, la camiseta de tirantes,la musculosa
Te creo. -Bueno, me diola musculosapara salir.
I believe you. -Well, he gave methe tank topto go out.
Caption 51,Yago - 1 La llegada - Part 5
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Tie: la corbata
Qué linda corbata.
What a nice tie.
Caption 2, Confidencial:El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 5 - Part 5
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Although the term la corbata typically refers to a necktie, there are many words to describe abow tiein Spanish, including elmoño, elcorbatín, lapajarita, lalacita, lacorbata demoño, and lacorbata de lazo.
Vest: el chaleco
tenemos que llevar siempre unchalecoreflectante
we must always wear a reflectivevest
Caption 56,Raquel y Marisa - Aprender a conducir
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Outerwearin Spanish
There are somany different Spanish words for "sweaters," "sweatshirts,""jackets," "coats," and other outerwear, andevery country has their own way to talk about these articles of clothing in Spanish. In fact, some ofthe same Spanish terms areused to describe different items in different countries. Let's take a look.
Jacket:la chaqueta, la chamarra, la campera, la cazadora, la chompa
Even within theEnglish language, it is sometimes a fine line between whatconstitutes a "jacket" vs. a "coat," which some people view as synonymous. That said, the above-referenced Spanishterms generally refer to something more sporty, casual, and/or lighter weight.
¡Una chaquetade cuero!
Aleatherjacket!
Caption 48,Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 2: Sam va de compras - Part 2
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Coat:el abrigo, el chaqetón, la chamarra
The Spanish terms for "coat" might generally be thought of as describing a heavier/warmer garment:
Después me voy a ponerel abrigoporque va a hacer frío.
Later, I'm going to put onmy coatbecause it's going to be cold.
Captions 22-23,Cristina - Naturaleza
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Blazer:el saco,la americana, la chaqueta
y así con, consacoy con corbata, ¿te imaginás el calor?
and like that with, with ablazerand tie, can you imagine the heat?
Caption 37,La Sucursal del Cielo - Capítulo 2 - Part 2
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Raincoat:el chubasquero, el impermeable, el piloto, el sobretodo
Los días de lluvia llevábamos unchubasqueroy botas de agua.
On rainy days, we wore a raincoat and rain boots.
Captions 54-55,Aprendiendo con Silvia - Recuerdos de infancia
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Sweater:el jersey,el suéter, el pulóver, la chompa
Let's hear how to say "sweater" in both Spain and Colombia:
Eh... Se llama "jersey". -"Jersey".
Um... It's called a "jersey" [sweater]. -"Jersey."
Nosotros le decimos "suéter".
We call it "suéter" [sweater].
Captions 44-45,Carlos y Xavi - Part 3 Diferencias de vocabulario entre España y Colombia
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Sweatshirt:la sudadera, el jersey,el suéter, el pulóver
mandé a hacer uniformes,sudaderay todo; ¿qué tal?
I got uniforms made, asweatshirtand everything; what do you think?
Caption 114,Club 10 - Capítulo 1 - Part 3
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Undergarments in Spanish
Now, let's hear how to say the general term for "underwear" or "undergarments" in Spanish before moving on to the many words for the more specific articles of clothing in Spanish in this category:
No, no es bombachitas. En todo caso es ropa interior.
No, it's not panties. In any case, it's underwear.
Caption 68, Muñeca Brava - 43 La reunión
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Bra:el brasier,el corpiño,el sostén,el sujetador
¿Van a dejar de usarbrasier, ah?
Are you going to stop wearing abra, huh?
Caption 18,La Sucursal del Cielo - Capítulo 1 - Part 10
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Briefs:los calzoncillos, los calzones
entonces, ahí estaba yo, de nuevo en la clase de matemáticas,
[and] then, there I was, in math class again,
¡y esta vez encalzoncillos!
and this time,in myunderwear!
Captions 48-51,Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 7
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Panties: los calzones,las bragas, las braguitas, la bombacha, los pantis
Así que ya te veo desfilando, en cualquier momento, con bombacha y corpiño.
So I see you modeling, any minute now, in panties and bra.
Caption 43, Muñeca Brava - 18 La Apuesta
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Footwear in Spanish
To conclude this lesson, we'll examinehow to say the words for themore general "footwear" and "shoes"in Spanish prior tolearning some more specific vocabulary:
Yo me dedicaba a vender calzado; tenía un almacén.
My job was selling footwear; I had a shop.
Captions 55-56, Imbabura - Paramédicos
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se convirtieron en un par dezapatosnuevos y relucientes.
changed into a new, shiny pair ofshoes.
Caption 29,Cleer - El cuento de los cuatro hermanos
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Boots:las botas
Y unas botasaltas. -Sí.
And some tallboots. -Yes.
Caption 23,Un Viaje a Mallorca - Planificando el viaje
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Flip-Flops: las chanclas
unas chanclas,
some flip flops,
Caption 12, Ariana - Mi Semana
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High Heels:los tacones
Me encantanlos tacones.
I lovehigh heels.
Caption 57,75 minutos - Gangas para ricos - Part 14
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Slippers: las pantuflas, las zapatillas
Y por aquí, no pueden faltar las pantuflas o babuchas,
And over here, you can't do without slippers or house shoes,
Caption 88, Natalia de Ecuador - Vocabulario de prendas de vestir
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Sneakers: las zapatillas, los tenis, los zapatos deportivos
Interestingly, the word for "slippers" in many Spanish-speaking countries,las zapatillas, means "the sneakers" in Spain. Now, let's listen toanother word for "sneakers" or "athletic shoes" in Spanish:
ylos tenis.
andtennis shoes.
Caption 38,Cleer y Lida - Juego de preguntas y respuestas
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That's all for today. To review clothing terms in Spanish, we recommend videos like Marta de Madrid - Prendas de ropa, Natalia de Ecuador - Vocabulario de prendas de vestir, and Ana Carolina's Lavanderíaand Salir de compras.We hope that this lesson has helped you to learn a lot of articles of clothing inSpanish, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.