Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cuarto | /ˈkwaɾto/ | masculine |
| habitación | /abitaˈθjon/ /abitaˈsjon/ |
feminine |
| pieza | /ˈpjeθa/ /ˈpjesa/ |
feminine |
| sala | /ˈsala/ | feminine |
| paraqué | /paɾake/ (from spelling rules) | Venezuela, masculine |
| cuartucho | /kwaɾˈtut͡ʃo/ | masculine |
| cochitril | /kot͡ʃiˈtɾil/ | masculine |
| covacha | /koˈbat͡ʃa/ | feminine |
All these terms refer to a division in a building. While terms like habitación or cuarto are used for private rooms, sala refers specifically to a common area or a living room. If you need to be more specific, you can use dormitorio for bedroom, sala de estar for living room, baño for bathroom or cocina for kitchen.
Which one should you use?
Habitación and cuarto typically refer to private rooms, such as a bedroom. In contrast, sala is used for common areas like a living room or a hall. If you want to describe a room that is tiny, shabby or unpleasant, you might use the diminutive cuartucho. For a room that is extremely dirty or poorly maintained, the derogatory term cochitril is used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Chile, pieza is a common way to refer to a room. In Venezuela, the term paraqué is used to refer to a room. Note that in many Latin American countries, pieza is used for a bedroom or small room, whereas in Spain, it often refers to a piece or part of something.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of cuarto is cuartos, and the plural form of habitación is habitaciones.
How do you pronounce it?
/abitaˈθjon/
Did you know?
- The word cuarto shares the same root as the English word 'quarter' and the number 'four', because it originally referred to dividing a house into four or five sections.
- If you call a room a cochitril, you are not just saying it is small, but specifically implying it is as dirty as a pigsty.
Examples in context
- Este es mi cuarto.This is my room.This sentence is useful for identifying your own room using cuarto.Tatoeba #3001345 by marcelostockle, translation #1273375 by CK
- ¡Vete a tu cuarto!Go to your room!This sentence is useful for telling someone to go to their room using cuarto.Tatoeba #3442083 by cueyayotl, translation #1908577 by Spamster
- Entró en el cuarto.She came into the room.This sentence is useful for describing someone entering a room using cuarto.Tatoeba #2058437 by lazarus1907, translation #308492 by CK
- El hotel ofrece habitaciones amplias y cómodas.The hotel offers spacious and comfortable rooms.
- 1426 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are looking at a new apartment.
- JavierLa habitación es muy grande.The room is very large.
- MaríaSí, y tiene mucha luz.Yes, and it has a lot of light.
- Javier¿Cuántas habitaciones tiene el piso?How many rooms does the apartment have?
- MaríaTiene tres habitaciones en total.It has three rooms in total.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “room” translations and entries cuarto, habitación, pieza, sala, cuartucho, cochitril, covacha, 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 cuarto, habitación, pieza, sala, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
