chalet
/t͡ʃaˈlet/masculine
The English word cottage can be translated into Spanish as chalet. Wiktionary also lists chalé.
Meaning: a small house, a cot, a hut (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| chalet | /t͡ʃaˈlet/ | masculine |
| chalé | /t͡ʃaˈle/ | masculine |
In Spanish, chalet often refers to a detached or semi-detached house in a residential area, often with a small garden, rather than a rustic hut in the woods.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term Ranchito is an informal way to refer to a small country house or cottage in Latin American countries.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃaˈlet/
Did you know?
- While chalet refers to a house in Spain, in some Latin American countries like Mexico, a rancho might be a humble home or a large estate depending on the social context.
- The word chalet is borrowed from French, but in Spanish it has lost the specific association with the steep-roofed wooden houses of the Alps.
- The word chalé is a Hispanicized spelling of the French chalet and is used to align the word with Spanish orthography rules.
Examples in context
- Mi abuelito tiene una hermosa casa de campo en las montañas.My grandpa has a beautiful cottage in the mountains.
- Vamos a pasar el fin de semana en el chalé de mis tíos.We're going to spend the weekend at my aunt and uncle's cottage.
- ¿Por qué no organizamos una barbacoa en la casita? ¡Será muy acogedora!Why don't we organize a barbecue at the cottage? It will be really cozy!
- El chalet es de madera.The cottage is made of wood.
- Compramos un chalet en la montaña.We bought a cottage in the mountains.
- Ese chalet tiene un jardín muy grande.That cottage has a very large garden.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are looking at real estate listings online.
- Mateo¿Te gusta este chalet, Elena?Do you like this cottage, Elena?
- ElenaSí, es un chalet muy bonito.Yes, it is a very beautiful cottage.
- MateoEs demasiado caro para nosotros.It is too expensive for us.
- ElenaTienes razón, busquemos otro.You are right, let's look for another one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cottage” translations and entries chalet, chalé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chalet, chalé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
