Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pliegue | /ˈpljeɡe/ | masculine |
| arruga | /aˈruɡa/ | feminine |
| raya | /ˈraʝa/ | feminine |
In Spanish, the term you choose for crease depends on whether the mark was made intentionally or is an unintentional wrinkle. While pliegue refers to a fold or crease in a surface, arruga is used for wrinkles on skin or clothing. For a very deep crease or wrinkle, you may occasionally see the word surco used. To describe the act of removing creases or wrinkles, you can use the verb aplanar.
Which one should you use?
Use pliegue when referring to a crease made by an intentional fold, such as in paper, fabric or a map. In technical or mathematical contexts, pliegue is the standard term for a fold or a crease in a surface. Use arruga when referring to an unintentional crease or wrinkle, such as those found on skin or in clothing.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of arruga is arrugas, and the plural form of pliegue is pliegues.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpljeɡe/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, arrugar is used as a slang verb to describe someone who 'chickens out' or loses their nerve before a challenge.
- The word raya can refer to a crease or line but also identifies the 'stingray' fish in Spanish.
- The term surco is used for a deep crease and literally means 'furrow', referring to the trenches made by a plow in a field.
Examples in context
- Deberías alisar los pliegues de tu camisa antes de salir.You should iron the creases on your shirt before going out.
- No te olvides de planchar las arrugas de tus pantalones nuevos.Don't forget to iron the creases on your new pants.
- Las arrugas profundas dejaban surcos en su frente.The deep wrinkles left creases on his forehead.
- El pliegue de la camisa es muy marcado.The crease in the shirt is very sharp.
- No quiero que los pliegues arruinen el papel.I don't want the creases to ruin the paper.
- Hay un pliegue extraño en la cortina.There is a strange crease in the curtain.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are folding laundry in the living room.
- Daniel¿Ves este pliegue en la sábana?Do you see this crease in the sheet?
- ElenaSí, parece que está mal doblada.Yes, it looks like it is folded incorrectly.
- DanielVoy a plancharla para quitarlo.I am going to iron it to remove it.
- ElenaGracias, Daniel, eso sería genial.Thanks, Daniel, that would be great.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crease” translations and entries pliegue, arruga, raya, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
