Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pegamento | /peɡaˈmento/ | masculine |
| cola | /ˈkola/ | feminine |
| goma | /ˈɡoma/ | feminine |
| pegante | /peˈɡante/ | masculine |
| resistol | /resisˈtol/ | masculine |
All these terms refer to a sticky adhesive substance. You can use the term pegamento extrafuerte or pegamento rápido to specify super glue. If you are looking for a glue stick, you can say barra de pegamento or pegamento en barra. To express the action of gluing or sticking something, the most common verb is pegar.
Which one should you use?
Pegamento is the most common and neutral term for glue in most Spanish-speaking contexts. In contrast, cola is frequently used in Spain to refer specifically to liquid or white glue.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Colombia, pegante is a common term for glue. In Spain, cola is frequently used for liquid or white glue.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The terms cola and goma are feminine nouns, while pegamento, pegante and resistol are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/peɡaˈmento/
Did you know?
- The word goma is used for both 'glue' and 'eraser' in Spanish. You must use context to know if someone is reaching for an adhesive or a way to fix a mistake.
- While 'glue' is usually a noun in English, the Spanish verb pegar can also mean 'to hit' or 'to strike' in many contexts.
- The term resistol is a brand name that became a generic term for glue in some regions, much like 'Kleenex' is used for tissues in English.
Examples in context
- Cierre la caja con cola, y no con cinta.Seal the box with glue, and not with tape.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to use cola to seal a box.Tatoeba #976532 by hayastan, translation #1334939 by marcelostockle
- ¡No toques mi puente de espaguetis! El pegamento todavía se está secando.Don't touch my spaghetti bridge! The glue is still hardening.This sentence shows how to use pegamento when describing something drying.Tatoeba #966340 by Shishir, translation #911246 by papabear
- Este líquido pegajoso se puede utilizar como cola.This sticky liquid can be used as glue.This sentence illustrates how to describe a liquid that can be used as cola.Tatoeba #13842713 by mervert1, translation #9801575 by AlanF_US
- Por favor, pásame el adhesivo para completar la manualidad.Please pass me the glue to finish the craft.
- Necesito comprar pegamento para arreglar el libro.I need to buy glue to fix the book.
- No encuentro la goma para pegar las fotos.I can't find the glue to stick the photos.
- Me prestas la cola para arreglar mi zapato?Can you lend me the glue to fix my shoe?
- Necesito comprar pega para la manualidad de esta tarde.I need to buy glue for the craft this afternoon.
- ¿Dónde puedo comprar una barra de pegamento?Where can I buy a glue stick?
- Usa pegamento extrafuerte para asegurarte de que se mantenga unido.Use super glue to make sure it stays together.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are fixing a broken toy.
- LucíaMateo, ¿tienes pegamento en tu mochila?Mateo, do you have glue in your backpack?
- MateoSí, creo que tengo un tubo aquí.Yes, I think I have a tube here.
- LucíaPerfecto, necesito el pegamento para esta pieza.Perfect, I need the glue for this piece.
- MateoToma, ten cuidado de no mancharte.Here, be careful not to get it on yourself.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “glue” translations and entries pegamento, cola, goma, pegante, resistol, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
