capa
/ˈkapa/feminine
In Spanish, 'coating' can be translated as capa or recubrimiento.
Meaning: a thin outer layer (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| capa | /ˈkapa/ | feminine |
| recubrimiento | /rekubɾiˈmjento/ | masculine |
The term refers to a thin outer layer.
Which one should you use?
Use capa when referring to a single layer of something, such as a layer of paint or a layer of dust. Use recubrimiento when referring to a functional coating applied to a surface for protection or decoration. Additionally, esmalte specifically refers to a glossy or enamel-like coating.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of the feminine noun capa is capas, while the plural of the masculine noun recubrimiento is recubrimientos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkapa/
Did you know?
- While capa refers to a layer, it is also the standard word for a superhero's 'cape'.
- The word esmalte refers to both a hard protective coating and 'nail polish'.
- In the world of bullfighting, a capote is the large cloak used by the matador, which shares the same linguistic root as capa.
Examples in context
- El recubrimiento del metal protege contra la corrosiónThe coating of the metal protects against corrosion
- Me gusta el esmalte de uñas con un acabado mateI like nail polish with a matte coating
- La capa de pintura le dio un nuevo aspecto a la casaThe coating of paint gave the house a new look
- Los muebles de jardín tienen un revestimiento protector para el exteriorThe garden furniture has a protective outdoor coating
- La película protectora evita los arañazos en la pantallaThe protective film prevents scratches on the screen
- Este plato tiene un esmaltado especialThis plate has a special coating
- una capa de pinturaA coat of paint
- el recubrimiento de teflónThe Teflon coating
- El pastel tiene una capa de chocolate.The cake has a layer of chocolate.
- Hay una capa de polvo sobre la mesa.There is a layer of dust on the table.
- Pinté una capa de color azul.I painted a coat of blue color.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are painting a piece of furniture.
- JavierSofía, ¿ya pusiste la primera capa?Sofía, did you already put on the first coating?
- SofíaSí, pero todavía está húmeda.Yes, but it is still wet.
- JavierEntonces espera que seque la capa.Then wait for the coating to dry.
- SofíaEstá bien, esperaré diez minutos.All right, I will wait ten minutes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coating” translations and entries capa, recubrimiento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
