Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sandalia | /sanˈdalja/ | feminine |
| chala | /ˈt͡ʃala/ | Chile, feminine |
| chancleta | /t͡ʃanˈkleta/ | feminine |
| caite | /ˈkaite/ | Guatemala, Nicaragua, masculine |
| cutara | /kutaɾa/ (from spelling rules) | Cuba, Eastern, masculine |
| huarache | /w̝aˈɾat͡ʃe/ | Mexico, masculine |
| chancla | /ˈt͡ʃankla/ | feminine |
| ushuta | /usuta/ (from spelling rules) | Argentina, feminine |
| llanque | /ʝanke/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
Which one should you use?
While sandalia is a general term for any sandal, chancla specifically refers to a flip-flop or a casual rubber sandal. In Latin American countries like Mexico, chancleta is a colloquial term for flip-flops or casual sandals.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Several regional variations exist: chala is used in Chile. caite is used in Guatemala and Nicaragua. cutara is used in Eastern Cuba. In Mexico, huarache refers to a sandal, often specifically one made of leather with a traditional woven design. ushuta is used in Argentina. And llanque is another masculine form.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word sandalia is feminine. The plural form of sandalia is sandalias, and it takes the feminine plural article las. caite, cutara, huarache and llanque are masculine, while chala, chancleta, chancla and ushuta are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/sanˈdalja/
When do people say it?
In many Latin American households, the chancla is a culturally recognized object used jokingly (or seriously) as a tool for parental discipline.
Did you know?
- In some regions, the word huarache refers to both a traditional leather sandal and a popular type of rustic corn tortilla.
- The term chala is a direct linguistic link to the Inca Empire, as it was borrowed from the indigenous Quechua language.
- The word caite comes from the Nahuatl language, the language of the Aztecs.
Examples in context
- Te ves muy bien con esas sandaliasYou look great in those sandals
- ¡No olvides llevar tus chancletas a la playa!Don't forget to bring your flip-flops to the beach!
- La sandalia es de color azul.The sandal is blue.
- Esa sandalia de cuero es muy bonita.That leather sandal is very pretty.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are shopping for shoes.
- MateoMira esa sandalia de cuero.Look at that leather sandal.
- MaríaEs bonita, pero es muy cara.It is pretty, but it is very expensive.
- Mateo¿Te gusta esta sandalia azul?Do you like this blue sandal?
- MaríaSí, María prefiere ese color.Yes, María prefers that color.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sandal” translations and entries sandalia, chala, chancleta, caite, huarache, chancla, 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 caite, chala, chancleta, sandalia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
