azotea
/aθoˈtea/feminine
The English phrase "rooftop" can be translated into Spanish as azotea or tejado.
Meaning: top surface of a roof (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| azotea | /aθoˈtea/ /asoˈtea/ |
feminine |
| tejado | /teˈxado/ | masculine |
While both words refer to the top of a building, they describe very different structures. Azotea refers to a flat rooftop or terrace. It is the common term for a surface used for leisure, drying clothes or as a terrace in many Spanish-speaking countries. Tejado refers to a sloped roof, which is often covered with tiles and is generally not intended to be walked upon.
Which one should you use?
Use azotea specifically for a flat rooftop that can be walked upon or used as a terrace. Use tejado specifically for a sloped roof, which is generally not intended to be walked upon.
How does it change in a sentence?
Azotea is a feminine noun, while tejado is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/aθoˈtea/
Did you know?
- The word azotea is an Arabic loanword, a linguistic fingerprint of the historical Moorish presence in the Iberian Peninsula.
- In many Spanish-speaking cities, the azotea is considered an extra 'room' of the house, often used for cooling off in the evening.
- The word tejado is a close relative of the English word 'tile' via its Latin root tēgula.
Examples in context
- Cuando era un niño pasaba mucho tiempo jugando en la azotea de mi casa.As a child, I spent a lot of time playing on our rooftop terrace.This sentence is useful for describing playing on the azotea of a house.Tatoeba #10139846 by saverius, translation #10251635 by LimeGreenTeknii
- La fiesta se celebrará en la terraza del hotel.The party will take place on the hotel rooftop.
- La azotea del edificio ofrece una vista impresionante.The rooftop of the building offers an impressive view.
- En nuestro edificio, el área social cuenta con una hermosa terraza.In our building, the social area has a beautiful rooftop terrace.
- ¿Sabes si hay un bar en la azotea de este hotel?Do you know if there is a rooftop bar in this hotel?
- La azotea es un lugar muy tranquilo.The rooftop is a very quiet place.
- Puse las plantas en la azotea.I put the plants on the rooftop.
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding where to enjoy the sunset.
- Sofía¿Quieres ir a la azotea?Do you want to go to the rooftop?
- MateoSí, me encanta la vista desde la azotea.Yes, I love the view from the rooftop.
- SofíaMateo, lleva las bebidas a la azotea.Mateo, take the drinks to the rooftop.
- MateoClaro, yo las llevo ahora mismo.Sure, I will take them right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rooftop” translations and entries azotea, tejado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries azotea, tejado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
