tiza
/ˈtiθa/feminine
In Spanish, chalk is tiza. Wiktionary also lists gis and clarión.
Meaning: a piece of chalk used for drawing and on a blackboard (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tiza | /ˈtiθa/ /ˈtisa/ |
feminine |
| gis | /ˈxis/ | masculine |
| clarión | /klaˈɾjon/ | masculine |
| tizate | /tiθate/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /tisate/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
| yaramme | /ʝaɾamme/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term refers to a piece of chalk used for drawing and on a blackboard.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term gis is commonly used in Latin America, particularly in Mexico and Colombia. While gis is common in Mexico, tiza is the more widely used term across Spain and much of South America.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of tiza is tizas, and the plural form of gis is gises.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtiθa/
Did you know?
- The word tiza is not originally Spanish but was borrowed from tīzatl, a word from Classical Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs.
- The term gis is a direct relative of the word 'gypsum', which is the mineral used to make various types of chalk and plaster.
- In some contexts, the word tiza can also refer to the specific shade of off-white or pale yellow associated with natural chalk.
Examples in context
- Deme un trozo de tiza.Give me a piece of chalk.This sentence is useful for requesting a piece of tiza.Tatoeba #985745 by Shishir, translation #40112 by CK
- Tráeme un trozo de tiza.Bring me a piece of chalk.Tatoeba #1552874 by marcelostockle, translation #40114 by CK
- Esa no es tiza amarilla.That chalk isn't yellow.This sentence is useful for describing the color of tiza.Tatoeba #3256009 by marcelostockle, translation #4153543 by mervert1
- Por favor, ¿me puedes pasar la tiza?Please, can you pass me the chalk?
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A student and a teacher are in a classroom.
- Javier¿Tiene usted una tiza?Do you have a piece of chalk?
- SofíaSí, aquí tiene la tiza.Yes, here is the chalk.
- JavierMuchas gracias, profesora.Thank you very much, teacher.
- SofíaDe nada, Javier.You're welcome, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chalk” translations and entries tiza, gis, clarión, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries clarión, gis, tiza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
