Articles of Clothing in Spanish - Yabla Spanish - Free Spanish Lessons (2024)

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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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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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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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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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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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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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.