lápida
/ˈlapida/
The Spanish word for gravestone is lápida.
lápida refers to a gravestone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun lápida is feminine and is used with the feminine article la to say "the gravestone" (la lápida). The plural form of lápida is lápidas (gravestones).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlapida/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word lápida is closely related to lápiz, meaning 'pencil'. Both words descend from the Latin term for 'stone'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, a lápida is not a flat stone on the ground but a cover for a 'niche' in a vertical wall of graves.
- It is a common custom in several Spanish-speaking cultures to embed a ceramic photograph of the deceased directly into the lápida.
Examples in context
- Había muerto tanta gente que el suministrador de lápidas se vio forzado a contratar a otro tallador.So many people had died that the gravestone supplier was forced to hire a new carver.This sentence shows how to use lápida in the context of a gravestone supplier and a carver.Tatoeba #11684620 by Seael, translation #9982728 by AlanF_US
- Escribieron su nombre en la lápida.They wrote his name on the gravestone.
- La lápida de mármol es muy antigua.The marble gravestone is very old.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are visiting a cemetery to clean a relative's grave.
- LucíaAlejandro, ¿puedes limpiar esta lápida?Alejandro, can you clean this gravestone?
- AlejandroSí, Lucía, la lápida tiene mucho musgo.Yes, Lucía, the gravestone has a lot of moss.
- LucíaLa lápida brilla ahora que la lavamos.The gravestone shines now that we washed it.
- AlejandroEs verdad, se ve mucho mejor.It's true, it looks much better.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry lápida, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lápida, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
