zapatos
neutral, Mexico
In Mexican Spanish "shoes" is zapatos. For sneakers Mexicans say tenis and for traditional leather sandals they say huaraches.
Meaning: pair of footwear (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| zapatos | neutral, Mexico |
| tenis | Mexico, sneakers |
| huaraches | Mexico, sandals |
Say un par de zapatos for a pair of shoes and zapatería for the shop. For calzado in general, the word is common on store signs.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Tenis is used for any athletic shoe, even if it has nothing to do with the sport of tennis.
When do people say it?
Huaraches are flat sandals with woven leather straps, long worn in Mexico, and the word is also used for an oval corn dish with toppings.
Did you know?
- A zapatería is the usual word for a shoe store and a bolero is a shoe shiner in Mexican plazas.
Examples in context
- Me quito los zapatos en la entrada.I take off my shoes at the entrance.
- Estos tenis son muy cómodos.These sneakers are very comfortable.
- Compré unos huaraches en el mercado.I bought some huaraches at the market.
Example conversation
Clara and her husband Javier shop at a market in Oaxaca.
- ClaraJavier, mira estos huaraches.Javier, look at these huaraches.
- Javier¿Cuánto cuestan los zapatos?How much are the shoes?
- ClaraCiento ochenta pesos, pero podemos regatear.One hundred eighty pesos, but we can haggle.
