cinta americana
/ˌθinta ameɾiˈkana/feminine
Duct tape in Spanish is cinta americana. Wiktionary also lists cinta plateada and tape (teip).
Meaning: multipurpose waterproof tape (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cinta americana | /ˌθinta ameɾiˈkana/ /ˌsinta ameɾiˈkana/ |
feminine |
| cinta plateada | /ˌθinta plateˈada/ /ˌsinta plateˈada/ |
feminine |
| tape (teip) | Costa Rica, masculine | |
| teipe | /ˈteipe/ | Costa Rica, masculine |
| cinta tapaducto | /θinta tapaduɡto/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /sinta tapaduɡto/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
The term refers to multipurpose waterproof tape. To express the action of using duct tape to fix or stick something, you can use the phrase pegar con cinta americana.
What does it mean word for word?
The term cinta americana literally translates to American tape.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Costa Rica, you may hear the masculine forms tape (teip) or teipe used to refer to duct tape.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Because cinta is a feminine noun, the definite article used with it must be la (e.g., la cinta americana).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌθinta ameɾiˈkana/
Did you know?
- The word cinta is actually a descendant of the Late Latin cinctum, which refers to something being girded or wrapped around the waist.
- In Spanish, the term cinta is used for a vast array of adhesives, from delicate masking tape to heavy-duty duct tape, often requiring a descriptive adjective to specify the type.
- The term cinta plateada is a purely descriptive alternative that bypasses any reference to a specific country or brand.
Examples in context
- ¿Dónde está la cinta americana para reparar el tubo?Where is the duct tape to fix the pipe?
- Necesito un rollo de cinta americana.I need a roll of duct tape.
- La cinta americana es muy resistente.Duct tape is very strong.
- ¿Tienes un poco de cinta americana?Do you have some duct tape?
Example conversation
Daniel and María are repairing a broken box.
- DanielMaría, ¿tienes cinta americana?María, do you have duct tape?
- MaríaSí, está en el cajón.Yes, it is in the drawer.
- DanielGracias, voy a usar la cinta americana ahora.Thanks, I am going to use the duct tape now.
- MaríaDe nada, Daniel.You're welcome, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “duct tape” translations and entries cinta americana, cinta plateada, teipe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cinta, cinta americana, cinta plateada, tape, teipe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
