Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gafas de protección | /ɡafas de pɾoteɡθjon/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /ɡafas de pɾoteɡsjon/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine, plural |
| anteojos de protección | /anteoxos de pɾoteɡθjon/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /anteoxos de pɾoteɡsjon/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine, plural |
| anteojos | /anteˈoxos/ | masculine, plural |
| gafas de aviador | /ɡafas de abjadoɾ/ (from spelling rules) | feminine, plural |
| antiparras | /antiˈparas/ | feminine, plural |
The term refers to protective eyewear. While words like gafas or anteojos can refer to general eyeglasses, adding de protección specifies that you are talking about protective goggles.
Which one should you use?
The forms vary based on the specific type of eyewear or the region. gafas de protección and anteojos de protección both specify protective gear, whereas anteojos is a general term for eyeglasses. gafas de aviador specifically refers to aviator-style goggles.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Southern Cone, including countries like Argentina and Uruguay, the term antiparras is commonly used to refer to goggles, such as those used for swimming or skiing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The grammatical gender of the phrase determines how you describe the goggles. gafas de protección is a feminine plural noun phrase, so any adjectives describing them must be feminine and plural. Conversely, anteojos de protección is a masculine plural noun phrase, requiring masculine and plural adjectives.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡafas de pɾoteɡθjon/
Did you know?
- Some historians suggest that gafas could be a tribute to the 12th-century Andalusian ophthalmologist Muhammad ibn Aslam Al-Ghafiqi, though this remains a debated theory.
- The word anteojos literally translates to 'before the eyes'.
- The term gafas de aviador is used not just for functional pilot goggles but also for the iconic teardrop-shaped fashion frames.
Examples in context
- Alberto se veía gracioso con sus gafitas de buceo.Alberto looked funny with his diving goggles.
- Necesitas usar gafas de protección en el taller.You need to wear protective goggles in the workshop.
- Las gafas de protección están sobre la mesa.The protective goggles are on the table.
- ¿Dónde puedo comprar unas gafas de protección?Where can I buy some protective goggles?
Example conversation
Daniel and María are at a construction site.
- MaríaDaniel, ¿tienes tus gafas de protección?Daniel, do you have your protective goggles?
- DanielNo, las olvidé en el coche.No, I forgot them in the car.
- MaríaDebes ir por ellas ahora mismo.You must go get them right now.
- DanielTienes razón, es peligroso trabajar sin ellas.You are right, it is dangerous to work without them.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goggles” translations and entries anteojos, antiparras, 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 anteojos, aviador, de, gafas, protección, CC BY-SA 4.0.
