tréboles
/ˈtɾeboles/masculine, plural
In Spanish, the English word 'clubs' can refer to the suit of playing cards, translated as tréboles or bastos.
Meaning: one of the four suits of playing cards, marked with the symbol ♣ (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tréboles | /ˈtɾeboles/ | masculine, plural |
| bastos | /ˈbastos/ | masculine, plural |
When talking about playing cards, 'clubs' refers to one of the four suits.
What does it mean word for word?
The term tréboles literally means 'clovers', which reflects the three-leaf shape of the suit symbol.
Which one should you use?
tréboles is the standard term for the suit of clubs. However, bastos is used in certain regions or specific card games to refer to the same suit or a similar suit.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, peñas are especially popular and are often associated with folkloric music gatherings. In Colombia, you may hear the term rumbas to refer to clubbing or parties.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form of the suit is el trébol. Both bastos and tréboles are masculine plural nouns.
Did you know?
- In a traditional Spanish deck, the suit of bastos is one of four alongside coins, cups and swords, rather than the hearts and diamonds used in French-style decks.
- In many parts of the Spanish-speaking world, the word bastos refers to the suit of clubs, but it can also be used as an adjective to describe someone who is 'rough' or 'clumsy' in their behavior.
- Spanish speakers use the word palos to refer to the suits of a deck of cards in general, which literally translates to 'sticks'.
Examples in context
- Tengo el as de tréboles.I have the ace of clubs.This sentence is useful for identifying the ace of tréboles.Tatoeba #3527496 by cueyayotl, translation #2528234 by CK
- Los palos en una baraja de cartas estándar son tréboles, diamantes, corazones y picas.The suits in a standard deck of cards are clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades.This sentence lists the different suits in a standard deck of cards using tréboles.Tatoeba #5841547 by albrusgher, translation #3856330 by bobking12
- Los clubes deportivos son muy populares en mi país.Sports clubs are very popular in my country.
- Mi padre es miembro de varias sociedades científicas.My father is a member of several scientific societies.
- Vamos a ir esta noche al club de música electrónica.We are going to the electronic music club tonight.
- Las discotecas en esta zona son muy animadas los fines de semana.The nightclubs in this area are very lively on weekends.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and María are playing a game of cards.
- MateoMe faltan algunas cartas de tréboles.I am missing some clubs cards.
- MaríaYo tengo tres en mi mano.I have three in my hand.
- MateoEntonces pásame los tréboles, por favor.Then pass me the clubs, please.
- MaríaAquí tienes, Mateo.Here you go, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clubs” translations and entries tréboles, bastos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
