toga y birrete
/toɡa i birete/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "cap and gown" is translated as toga y birrete.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of toga, which means gown or robe and birrete, which refers to the academic cap or mortarboard.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are referring to the specific items, you must use the feminine article la for toga and the masculine article el for birrete, resulting in la toga y el birrete.
Did you know?
- While 'toga' is the standard term for the gown, in certain Spanish-speaking contexts, the word toga is used as back slang for the word gato, meaning 'cat'.
- In some Spanish-speaking academic traditions, the birrete is not just worn but shifted from the right to the left side to signal the completion of the degree.
- While toga is the standard word for a graduation gown, it is also the term used for the robes worn by judges and lawyers in Spanish courts.
Examples in context
- La ceremonia de graduación requiere de un traje de graduación completo, incluyendo la toga y el birrete.The graduation ceremony requires a complete graduation attire, including the gown and cap.
- ¡Mira mi gorra y bata de graduación! ¡Qué emocionante!Look at my graduation cap and gown! How exciting!
- Mañana necesito comprar la toga y birrete.Tomorrow I need to buy the cap and gown.
- La toga y birrete son de color azul.The cap and gown are blue.
Example conversation
Two students are preparing for their graduation day.
- MateoElena, ¿ya tienes tu toga y birrete?Elena, do you already have your cap and gown?
- ElenaSí, Mateo, los recogí ayer.Yes, Mateo, I picked them up yesterday.
- MateoGenial, yo voy a buscarlos ahora.Great, I am going to get mine now.
- Elena¡Nos vemos en la ceremonia!See you at the ceremony!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries birrete, toga, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
