Is it raining outside? No worries, let me just get my… my… um… rain shirt? Presuming you live in a Spanish-speaking country, the clothing item you’re looking for is actually a chaqueta impermeable or chaqueta de lluvia. But you’d be hard-pressed to know that if you never studied the vocabulary words for clothes in Spanish.
Everyday situations often call for one to talk about what one is wearing. But knowing the right Spanish words for clothing can be particularly helpful if you ever find yourself at the sastrería (seamstress/tailor) or tienda (store).
Just beware that the names of clothing in Spanish may differ depending on the country. The same jacket may be called a chaqueta or chamarra. To help you navigate these pitfalls and master the basics of sartorial communication, here are 50 words for clothes in Spanish.
- Latin American clothing culture
- Basic names of clothes in Spanish
- Outerwear (ropa exterior)
- Sportswear (‘ropa deportiva’)
- Intimates (ropa interior)
- Footwear (calzado)
- Accessories (accesorios)
- Other words to talk about clothes in Spanish
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Latin American clothing culture
It’s one thing to know the names of clothing items in Spanish. It’s another thing to understand the culture behind all those clothes. If fashion is your thing, you can always follow Vogue Latinoamerica for the latest trends.
As with hairstyles, the clothing of most Latin American national football teams are always a key indicator of what’s cool at the moment. Due to the popularity of sports, tracksuits and fútbol jerseys are a perennial favorite. Dresses for women in Latin America often have big arms, bright colors, natural fabrics and a slim, close-to-the-body fit.
Now that we’ve reviewed the general principles of fashion culture, let’s learn the names for specific clothing items in Spanish.
Basic names of clothes in Spanish
In Spanish, the word for “clothes” is a singular feminine noun: la ropa. This may trip up English speakers, but it’s important to remember for numeric agreement purposes. For example, you would say: La ropa está limpia. (The clothes are clean.)
| Spanish | English | |
| 1. | camisa | button-down shirt |
| 2. | camiseta/remera | t-shirt |
| 3. | blusa | blouse |
| 4. | falda | skirt |
| 5. | saco | blazer or suit jacket |
| 6. | pantalones | pants |
| 7. | pescadores/capri | capri pants |
| 8. | mallas/leggings/calzas | tights |
| 9. | vestido | dress |
| 10. | shorts | shorts (sometimes pronounced /chorts/) |
| 11. | polo/chomba | polo shirt |
| 12. | traje | suit |
Outerwear (‘ropa exterior’)
There is some variance in the vocabulary of clothes in Spanish when it comes to outerwear.
| Spanish | English | |
| 13. | chaqueta | jacket |
| 14. | chaqueta impermeable/chaqueta de lluvia | rain jacket |
| 15. | chaqueta rompevientos | windbreaker |
| 16. | sudadera (Mexico) polerón (Chile) suéter (Argentina) buzo (Uruguay) jerséy (Spain) | sweater or hoodie |
| 17. | abrigo/campera | coat |
| 18. | chamarra | jacket |
| 19. | chaleco | vest (in Chile, chaleco is a pullover sweater) |
| 20. | parka | parka (an insulated, long coat made for snow or cold conditions) |
Sportswear (‘ropa deportiva’)
For sportswear, the words for clothes in Spanish are more consistent. Just note that there are a number of ways to say “soccer cleats.”
| Spanish | English | |
| 21. | camisa sin mangas | tank top (literally “sleeveless shirt”) |
| 22. | zapatillas de ciclismo | cycling shoes |
| 23. | zapatos de béisbol/spikes de béisbol | baseball cleats |
| 24. | tacos/tacones/botas/botines/zapatos -de fútbol | football/soccer cleats |
| 25. | chándal/conjunto deportivo | tracksuit |
| 26. | overol/enterito | overalls |
| 27. | pantalón deportivojoggers | sweatpants |
| 28. | mallas/calzas | tights |
| 29. | bra deportivo/top deportivo | sports bra |
| 30. | playera/jersey/camiseta | sports jersey |
| 31. | traje de baño | swimsuit |
Intimates (‘ropa interior’)
If you’re bra shopping in Latin America, there are lots of words for the same thing. The words for “bra” and “underwear” are examples of how words for clothes in Spanish can change a lot.
| Spanish | English | |
| 32. | sostén (Chile, Venezuela, Peru, Mexico, Spain) sujetador (Spain) corpiño (Argentina, Uruguay) ajustador (Cuba) brasier (Colombia, Mexico) | bra |
| 33. | pijama | pajamas (note: the pronunciation in Spanish is /pee yama/) |
| 34. | calzones (Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Chile) bragas (Spain) bombachas (Argentina, Uruguay) pantaletas (Venezuela, Costa Rica) panty (Mexico) | underwear |
| 35. | bóxer | boxers |
| 36. | faja | corset |
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| Spanish | English | |
| 37. | zapatos | shoes |
| 38. | zapatos de correr/tenis/zapatillas | running shoes |
| 39. | botas | boots |
| 40. | pantuflas | slippers |
| 41. | chanclas, ojotas, hawaianas | flip-flops |
| 42. | sandalias | slides, sandals |
| 43. | tacones | high heels |
Accessories “accesorios”
| Spanish | English | |
| 44. | bufanda | scarf |
| 45. | gorra | hat |
| 46. | bolsa | bag |
| 47. | guantes | gloves |
| 48. | lentes, gafas, anteojos | glasses |
| 49. | calcetines | socks |
| 50. | lazo, moño | hair bow |
Other words to talk about clothes in Spanish
Here are more keywords and phrases that will help you talk about clothes in Spanish.
Sizes
The typical sizes (tallas) for items of clothing include:
- chico/pequeño – CH/P (small)
- mediano – M (medium)
- grande – G (large)
- extra grande – XG (extra large)
- doble x – 2X (2XL)
Shapes
There are some specific phrases or modifiers you can use to refer to the shapes of clothes:
- manga larga (long sleeve)
- manga corta (short sleeve)
- holgada (baggy, loose)
- ajustada (tight)
Verbs
These are common verbs used when discussing clothes in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| llevar Hoy, él lleva un saco blanco. | to wear He’s wearing a white blazer today. |
| ponerse Me pongo tacones cada día. | to put on oneself I put on high heels everyday. |
| quitarse Me encanta quitarme los tacones al final del día. | to take off I love to take off my high heels at the end of the day. |
| vestirse El trabajo manda que nos vistamos de uniforme. | to wear Work requires that we wear uniforms. |
| desnudarse o desvestirse La gente se desnuda en ciertas playas de Europa. | to take off clothing/get naked People get naked at certain beaches in Europe. |
Clothes in Spanish for every occasion
Talking about clothes is a necessary part of daily life in any Spanish-speaking country. In Mexico, there are a lot of English words used for clothes in Spanish. But words for clothes vary a lot across Latin America. This list of clothes in Spanish will help you get out there and shop!
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Alison Maciejewski Cortez
Alison Maciejewski Cortez is Chilean-American, born and raised in California. She studied abroad in Spain, has lived in multiple countries, and now calls Mexico home. She believes that learning how to order a beer in a new language reveals a lot about local culture. Alison speaks English, Spanish, and Thai fluently and studies Czech and Turkish. Her tech copywriting business takes her around the world and she is excited to share language tips as part of the Lingoda team. Follow her culinary and cultural experiences on X.
