joyas de oro
/xoʝas de oɾo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, gold jewelry is joyas de oro.
joyas de oro is used to describe decorative items made from gold that are worn on the body.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of joyas (jewels/jewelry) and de oro (of gold).
Which one should you use?
While joyas de oro refers to the items themselves, joyería refers to a jewelry store or the business of jewelry making.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun joyas is feminine and plural. If you use an adjective to describe the jewelry, that adjective must also be feminine and plural, such as in joyas de oro finas.
How do you pronounce it?
/xoʝas de oɾo/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American cultures, gold jewelry like arras (thirteen gold coins) is exchanged during wedding ceremonies to symbolize prosperity and the groom's commitment to support the household.
- The word oro shares the same ancient root as the English word 'aurum', which is why the chemical symbol for gold is 'Au'.
- While joyas de oro means gold jewelry, the word joya is also used colloquially in some regions to describe a person who is a 'gem' or a delight.
Examples in context
- Las joyas de oro son un regalo precioso para un aniversario de bodas.Gold jewelry is a precious gift for a wedding anniversary.
- Ella siempre usa joyas de oro.She always wears gold jewelry.
- ¿Prefieres las joyas de oro o de plata?Do you prefer gold jewelry or silver jewelry?
- Compré unas joyas de oro para mi madre.I bought some gold jewelry for my mother.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are looking at a jewelry shop window.
- DanielMira estas joyas de oro, María.Look at this gold jewelry, María.
- MaríaSon muy hermosas, Daniel.They are very beautiful, Daniel.
- Daniel¿Crees que son muy caras?Do you think they are very expensive?
- MaríaTal vez, pero son muy elegantes.Maybe, but they are very elegant.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, oro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
