Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cara o cruz | /ˌkaɾa o ˈkɾuθ/ /ˌkaɾa o ˈkɾus/ |
Spain |
| faz o envés/revés | ||
| anverso o reverso | /ambeɾso o ɾebeɾso/ (from spelling rules) | |
| águila o sol | /ˌaɡila o ˈsol/ | Mexico |
| cara o ceca | /ˌkaɾa o ˈθeka/ /ˌkaɾa o ˈseka/ |
Argentina |
| cara o corona | /kaɾa o koɾona/ (from spelling rules) | El Salvador |
| cara o escudo | /ˌkaɾa o esˈkudo/ | Cuba, Guatemala |
| cara o número | /kaɾa o numeɾo/ (from spelling rules) | Uruguay |
| cara o sello | /ˌkaɾa o ˈseʝo/ | Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Venezuela |
| escudo o corona | /eskudo o koɾona/ (from spelling rules) | Costa Rica |
When asking someone to make a choice by flipping a coin, the phrase is typically used as a question: '¿Cara o cruz?'
What does it mean word for word?
The word cara literally means 'face', referring to the side of the coin with a portrait or design. The word cruz literally means 'cross', referring to the side of the coin that often features a cross or a different symbol.
Which one should you use?
While cara o cruz is used for the casual game of flipping a coin, anverso o reverso is the formal, technical way to describe the two sides of a coin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, people use águila o sol. In Argentina, you will hear cara o ceca. In El Salvador, it is cara o corona. In Cuba and Guatemala, use cara o escudo. In Uruguay, it is cara o número. In Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela, the phrase is cara o sello. In Costa Rica, use escudo o corona.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌkaɾa o ˈkɾuθ/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Tom lanzó la moneda y preguntó "¿cara o cruz?"Tom flipped the coin and said, "Heads or tails?"This sentence shows how to ask the question cara o cruz when flipping a coin.Tatoeba #2762278 by Shishir, translation #2640139 by CK
- ¿Quieres jugar a cara o cruz?Do you want to play heads or tails?
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are deciding who goes to the store.
- Sofía¿Quién tiene que ir a la tienda?Who has to go to the store?
- AlejandroNo lo sé, juguemos a cara o cruz.I don't know, let's play heads or tails.
- SofíaVale, yo lanzo la moneda.Okay, I'll flip the coin.
- Alejandro¡Perfecto, que salga cara!Perfect, I hope it's heads!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “heads or tails” translations and entries cara o cruz, águila o sol, cara o ceca, cara o escudo, cara o sello, 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 cara, cara o ceca, o, sol, águila, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
