tela
/ˈtela/feminine
The English word "cloth" translates to Spanish as tela.
tela is used to refer to the material itself, such as cotton or silk, rather than a specific finished garment. In a formal context, the term Mantelería specifically refers to tablecloths and table linens.
Meaning: fabric (noun)
Which one should you use?
While tela refers to fabric or textile, the informal term trapo is used for a rag or a piece of old cloth used for cleaning.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, manta can refer to a type of cotton cloth.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of tela is telas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtela/
Did you know?
- The term tela de araña literally translates to 'cloth of spider', which is the standard Spanish way to say 'spider web'.
- In Spanish anatomy, the word tela is used to describe thin membranes or layers of tissue, such as the tela endotelial.
- While tela is the general term for fabric, Spanish has the specific word trama to describe the weft or the physical 'plot' of the weave, which is also the word for a story's plot.
Examples in context
- Esa tela es muy áspera.That cloth is very rough.This sentence is useful for describing the texture of a tela.Tatoeba #2259234 by cueyayotl, translation #2259233 by _undertoad
- Esta tela es muy gruesa.This cloth is very thick.This sentence is useful for describing the thickness of a tela.Tatoeba #2268909 by Shishir, translation #2268908 by _undertoad
- Esta tela parece terciopelo.This cloth feels like velvet.This sentence is useful for comparing a tela to velvet.Tatoeba #5854081 by arh, translation #57402 by CK
- ¿Me puedes pasar la tela?Can you pass me the cloth?
- Necesito comprar unos trapos de limpieza.I need to buy some cleaning cloths.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are shopping for sewing materials at a market.
- Javier¿Te gusta esta tela roja, Sofía?Do you like this red fabric, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, la tela es muy bonita.Yes, the fabric is very beautiful.
- JavierEntonces, compraré la tela para ti.Then, I will buy the fabric for you.
- SofíaGracias, Javier, eres muy amable.Thank you, Javier, you are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cloth” translations and entries tela, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
