matrícula
/maˈtɾikula/Spain, feminine
The English phrase 'license plate' is translated into Spanish as matrícula. Wiktionary also lists chapa and patente.
Meaning: an identifying plate attached to a vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| matrícula | /maˈtɾikula/ | Spain, feminine |
| chapa | /ˈt͡ʃapa/ | Cuba, Paraguay, feminine |
| patente | /paˈtente/ | Argentina, Chile, feminine |
| placa | /ˈplaka/ | Latin America, feminine |
| tablilla | /taˈbliʝa/ | Puerto Rico, feminine |
All forms of this word refer to the identifying plate attached to a vehicle.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term used for a license plate varies significantly by location. In Spain, use matrícula. In Argentina and Chile, patente is common. In Cuba and Paraguay, use chapa. Across much of Latin America, placa is a widely used term. In Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, you may hear tablilla.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun matrícula is feminine. When used in the plural form, it is las matrículas, following standard noun-adjective agreement.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈtɾikula/
Did you know?
- The word matrícula shares a root with the Latin mātrīx, which means 'womb' or 'source', emphasizing the idea of a primary record.
- While matrícula is the standard word for a license plate in Spain, it is also the word used for a student's 'enrollment' or 'registration' at a university.
- The word patente is used for license plates in parts of South America, but in other contexts, it can mean something that is 'patent' or 'obvious'.
Examples in context
- La matrícula del coche es 123ABCThe license plate of the car is 123ABC
- Necesito verificar la placa de matrícula para el informeI need to check the license plate for the report
- Compré un coche nuevo y me dieron una chapa de matrícula diferenteI bought a new car and they gave me a different license plate
- Mira la placa del carro, tiene un diseño interesanteLook at the car's license plate, it has an interesting design
- ¿Viste la matrícula de ese auto?Did you see that car's license plate?
- La matrícula está un poco sucia.The license plate is a little dirty.
- Busca la matrícula en la lista.Look for the license plate in the list.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are looking for a car in a parking lot.
- ElenaNo encuentro el coche, Alejandro.I can't find the car, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¿Recuerdas cuál es la matrícula?Do you remember what the license plate is?
- ElenaSí, empieza por cuatro letras.Yes, it starts with four letters.
- AlejandroVale, voy a buscarla ahora.Okay, I'm going to look for it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “license plate” translations and entries matrícula, chapa, patente, placa, tablilla, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chapa, matrícula, patente, placa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
