Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bolsa | /ˈbolsa/ | feminine |
| saco | /ˈsako/ | masculine |
| funda | /ˈfunda/ | Dominican Republic, Ecuador, masculine |
| talego | /taˈleɡo/ | Colombia, masculine |
The word refers to a flexible container. You can use specific phrases to identify different types, such as bolsa de plástico for a plastic bag, bolsa de papel for a paper bag, bolsa de viaje for a travel bag or bolsa de deporte for a sports bag. If you want to describe the action of putting something into a bag, use the verb embolsar.
Which one should you use?
Use bolsa for general flexible containers like shopping bags or handbags. In contrast, use saco when referring to larger, heavy-duty sacks, such as those used for flour or potatoes.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Dominican Republic and Ecuador, funda is commonly used to refer to a bag, especially a plastic shopping bag. In Colombia, talego is used for a bag or sack. In Spain, bolso is the common term for a handbag or purse in informal contexts. Note that in many Latin American countries, mochila specifically refers to a backpack.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
bolsa is a feminine noun. Its plural form is bolsas, which remains feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbolsa/
Did you know?
- The word saco can also refer to a suit jacket or a blazer in several Latin American countries.
- The English word 'purse' and the Spanish word bolsa are actually distant cousins, both sharing roots in the Late Latin word 'bursa'.
- In certain contexts, funda does not mean a shopping bag but refers to a protective cover, such as a pillowcase known as funda de almohada.
Examples in context
- Esta es mi bolsa.This is my bag.This sentence is useful for identifying your own bag using bolsa.Tatoeba #2351571 by Shishir, translation #55628 by jakov
- Aquí está tu bolsa.Here is your bag.This sentence is useful for locating someone else's bag using bolsa.Tatoeba #580339 by Shishir, translation #17400 by CK
- ¿Te llevo la bolsa?Shall I carry your bag for you?This sentence is useful for offering to carry a bag using bolsa.Tatoeba #2061503 by lazarus1907, translation #63584 by CM
- Por favor, ¿puede guardar mi bolsa mientras hago algunas compras?Please, can you hold my bag while I do some shopping?
- ¡Mira qué lindas bolsitas de té!Look at these cute tea bags!
- Déjame revisar en mi bolso si tengo un lápiz.Let me check my bag if I have a pencil.
- Me gusta llevar mis libros en una mochila cómoda.I like to carry my books in a comfortable backpack.
- 129 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are at a grocery store.
- Daniel¿Tienes una bolsa para esto, Sofía?Do you have a bag for this, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, tengo la bolsa en el coche.Yes, I have the bag in the car.
- DanielPerfecto, yo la traigo.Perfect, I will bring it.
- SofíaGracias, Daniel.Thanks, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bag” translations and entries bolsa, saco, funda, talego, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bolsa, funda, saco, talego, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
