mochila
/moˈt͡ʃila/
The English phrase school bag is mochila in Spanish.
mochila refers to a bag used by students to carry books and supplies to school.
Which one should you use?
While bolsa refers to a general bag or a shopping bag, mochila specifically refers to a backpack-style bag with straps. You can also use the phrase mochila de la escuela to explicitly specify that the bag is for school.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of mochila is mochilas.
How do you pronounce it?
/moˈtʃila/
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, mochila can be used figuratively to describe an emotional burden or 'baggage' that a person carries.
- The word mochila traces its roots back to a Basque word for a 'boy' or 'errand boy'.
- The term mochilerismo describes the cultural phenomenon of budget backpacking travel throughout the world.
Examples in context
- ¿Dónde dejé mi mochila escolar?Where did I leave my school bag?
- Necesito comprar una bolsa de colegio nuevaI need to buy a new school bag
- No puedo encontrar mi mochila escolar en ningún lugar. ¡Espero no haberla olvidado en el autobús!I can't find my school bag anywhere. I hope I didn't forget it on the bus!
- ¿Has visto mi bolsa de colegio? Creo que la dejé en el gimnasio.Have you seen my school bag? I think I left it in the gym.
- Mi mochila es muy pesada.My school bag is very heavy.
- ¿Dónde dejaste la mochila?Where did you leave your school bag?
- Compré una mochila nueva para las clases.I bought a new school bag for classes.
Example conversation
A young man and woman are organizing their things before leaving for school.
- JavierSofía, ¿tienes tu mochila?Sofía, do you have your school bag?
- SofíaSí, Javier, ya la tengo.Yes, Javier, I already have it.
- JavierPerfecto, busco mi mochila también.Perfect, I will look for my school bag too.
- SofíaDate prisa, que vamos tarde.Hurry up, we are late.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mochila, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mochila, CC BY-SA 4.0.
