by Linda van der Hoeven
As in all the world’s vocabularies, the Spanish also has words exclusive to the language to refer to different items of clothing. There are some English words that could be translated into Spanish in multiple ways, such as the word Shirt, which can refer to any type of flannel in general. But don’t worry, in this post, we will explain better some of the most used Spanish clothing vocabulary.
Clothing: Basic Spanish Words
The basic Spanish clothing vocabulary words cover the main items of clothing that we use on a daily basis. Below we will define several of these Spanish words with their respective meanings in English.
- Franela/Camiseta” – T-shirt. It is the typical flannel without buttons or folded neck. These are generally round neck, and although V-neck flannels are also called t-shirts, these are translated into English as V-shirt.
- “Camisa” – Shirt. Unlike the previous one, this is the shirt with buttons and collar. It can refer to long-sleeved or short-sleeved shirts.
- “Suéter” – Sweater/Jersey. This is the traditional sweater, like a long sleeve flannel that is used to protect from the sun or cold.
- Shorts. This word was adopted by the Spanish to refer to shorts in the same way as it is in English.
- “Pantalones” – Trousers/Pants. This word is used to refer to traditional pants, although in Spanish they can also refer to traditional jeans.
- “Zapatos/Zapatillas” – Shoes. Used to refer to shoes in general. Although there are also other more specific words for certain types of shoes.
- “Medias/Calcetines” – Socks. It is the classic garment used to cover the feet.
Sportswear: words in Spanish
In the Spanish vocabulary, different words can be used to refer also to sportswear. Words like Jacket, and Snickers which could be interpreted in different ways. If you are a sports fan or you use a lot of sports clothes and you want to expand your Spanish vocabulary about sports clothes, then you should practice with these words.
- “Chandal” – Sweatpants. This word is used to refer to a specific type of shorts; sports shorts.
- “Sudadera” – Sweatshirt. It is used to define the classic sports sweatshirt, whether it has long or short sleeves. Sometimes, t-shirts are also used to define sports flannels, better known as sweatshirts.
- “Zapatillas/Gomas” – Sneakers/Trainers/Slippers. Zapatilla is a word that can define any shoe, but sneakers also have their specific word in both English and Spanish.
- “Mono” – Overall. “Mono” is a two-piece sports garment, which covers the entire body. This garment is composed of a jacket and sports pants.
- “Gorra” – Cap. The cap can be both a sport and a casual garment, but when it comes to sport garments “Cap” is the best option to translate gap.
Casual Wear: Spanish Vocabulary
For casual wear, Spanish also has certain words that can have different meanings. However, many of them remain in the basic Spanish vocabulary, but if you want to speak like a true Hispanic, then you can add these casual clothing words to your Spanish vocabulary.
- “Blusa” – Blouse/Shirt. The blouse is a female item of clothing that can have different styles and shapes.
- “Chaleco” – Vest. The vest is a casual garment that is used to complement others.
- “Jeans” – Jeans/Trousers/Pants. The word Jeans is also a word adopted by the Spanish to refer to typical jeans. However, when they are spoken of, it refers to a specific type of pants, made of jean fabric, also known as denim.
- “Saco” – Coat/Jacket. The “Saco” can be defined as any jacket, but in the Spanish word, it refers to casual jackets that are used for different occasions.
- “Vestido” – Dress. These are the different types of dresses that women can wear.
- “Zuecos” – Clogs. This word is used to refer to casual shoes, such as moccasins. These shoes are both casual and formal.
- “Botas” – Boots. It is used to refer to boots in general.
Formal Wear: the Spanish words to use
Spanish vocabulary for formal wear is also quite specific and different from other languages. Some of the formal clothing words are from basic vocabulary, but these are more specific to formal clothing.
- “Blusa” – Blouse. This garment is defined exactly as in the previous section, as it can be used for both formal and casual occasions.
- “Camisa” – “Shirt”. Camisas are both casual and formal. In fact, these are the perfect combination of suits.
- “Traje” – Suits. A suit is a piece of clothing that consists of a jacket and a pair of pants, but these are made of fine fabrics and are used for special occasions.
- “Esmoquin” – Smoking / Tuxedo. This word has one of the most literal translations from English to Spanish, and it is to define precisely that, a tuxedo suit.
- “Saco” – Jacket/Coat. Just like a casual garment, the “Saco” is a garment that can be used with a suit or also individually.
- “Frac” – White tie. The “Frac” is a very elegant suit with a very particular style that is composed of two or three pieces with unique cuts.
- “Pantalón de vestir” – Suit pants/dress pants. The dress trouser is the garment that completes the jacket to become a suit. However, it can also be used as an individual garment.
- “Vestido de gala” – Ballgown. The “Vestido de gala” is the formal dress worn by women for special occasions. There are also other varieties such as “cocktail dress” and the famous “Wedding Dress”.
Spanish words for the baby clothes
Strangely enough, there are many words for baby clothes that have very different translations from the original English word. Words like “Cocoliso” or “escarpines” are purely Spanish words that are simply translated into English. Let’s look at some of the Spanish vocabulary for baby clothes.
- “Gorro” – Hat/Little hat. This is a small hat that is commonly worn by babies. It is very similar to those worn by adults, but this one is made with more delicate materials.
- “Cocoliso/Body” – Babysuit. The Cocoliso is a full-body suit that is worn by babies. It is also translated as “Gaiters”
- “Manoplas”- Mittens/Handcuffs. These are the traditional gloves that babies wear so they don’t scratch their faces or bodies.
- “Escarpines”. These are small sock shaped shoes that babies wear to protect their feet.
These are not the only words in the Spanish clothing vocabulary, but they are the most widely used. You can practice these until you have mastered them and look for other options that can cover all the clothing that exists.
