arcilla
/aɾˈθiʝa/feminine
The English word clay is translated into Spanish as arcilla. Wiktionary also lists barro and argilla.
Meaning: mineral substance (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| arcilla | /aɾˈθiʝa/ | feminine |
| barro | /ˈbaro/ | masculine |
| argilla | /aɾxiʝa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| alfar | /alˈfaɾ/ | masculine |
| greda | /ˈɡɾeda/ | feminine |
| buro | /ˈbuɾo/ | masculine |
Arcilla is the most common and standard term used to describe the mineral substance used in pottery and construction.
Which one should you use?
While arcilla is the general term for clay, greda is used in technical or geological contexts to refer specifically to a coarser type of clay or grit.
How does it change in a sentence?
arcilla is a feminine noun, barro is a masculine noun, argilla is a feminine noun, alfar is a masculine noun, greda is a feminine noun and buro is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/aɾˈθiʝa/
Did you know?
- The word alfar comes from Andalusian Arabic, and its roots trace back even further to Aramaic and Akkadian.
- The term barro can be used metaphorically in Spanish to describe something of very low quality or something that is 'dirty' and poorly made.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, barro is used as a metonym to refer to the finished pottery itself, not just the raw material.
Examples in context
- El calor del sol endurece la arcilla.The heat of the sun hardens clay.This sentence shows how the sun's heat affects arcilla.Tatoeba #858370 by Rafp, translation #275107 by CK
- Los ladrillos consisten mayormente de arcilla.Bricks consist mostly of clay.This sentence illustrates that bricks are primarily made of arcilla.Tatoeba #4932567 by Ruthdq, translation #326291 by muitoazul
- El suelo de arcilla causa el color marrón del río.The river's brown color is caused by the clay soil.This sentence describes how arcilla in the soil affects the color of a river.Tatoeba #1974775 by marcelostockle, translation #10611897 by sangelo
- La cerámica está hecha de arcilla.The pottery is made of clay.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are in an art studio.
- DanielMaría, ¿tienes más arcilla para mi proyecto?María, do you have more clay for my project?
- MaríaSí, tengo un bloque de arcilla en la mesa.Yes, I have a block of clay on the table.
- DanielGracias, esta arcilla se ve muy buena.Thanks, this clay looks very good.
- MaríaEspero que te ayude con tu obra.I hope it helps you with your work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clay” translations and entries arcilla, barro, alfar, greda, buro, 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 alfar, arcilla, barro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
