50 vocabulary words for clothes in Spanish

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.

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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.)

Outerwear (‘ropa exterior’)

There is some variance in the vocabulary of clothes in Spanish when it comes to outerwear.

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.”

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.

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Accessories “accesorios”

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.

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.

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