tabla de contenidos
/tabla de kontenidos/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English phrase "table of contents" can be translated into Spanish as tabla de contenidos. Wiktionary also lists sumario and índice de materias.
Meaning: organized list summarizing book or document (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tabla de contenidos | /tabla de kontenidos/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| sumario | /suˈmaɾjo/ | masculine |
| índice de materias | /indiθe de mateɾjas/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /indise de mateɾjas/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
In Spanish, several terms can be used to describe an organized list summarizing a book or document. While tabla de contenidos is a literal translation of the English term, the word índice is the most common way to refer to a table of contents.
Which one should you use?
You may also encounter índice de materias or sumario depending on the context.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase tabla de contenidos is a feminine noun phrase, so it must be preceded by la or una. The word sumario is a masculine noun, so it must be preceded by el or un.
Did you know?
- The term índice shares its root with the English word 'index', but it also describes the pointer finger in Spanish.
- In Spanish, the word índice is used for both the table of contents at the start of a book and the alphabetical index at the end.
- The word sumario can refer to a table of contents, but in a legal context, it refers to the summary of an investigation or a preliminary trial.
Examples in context
- Por favor, consulte el índice para encontrar los capítulos y temas principales.Please consult the table of contents to find the main chapters and topics.
- Antes de empezar a leer este libro, revisa el índice para ubicar los capítulos que te interesan.Before you start reading this book, review the table of contents to locate the chapters that interest you.
- No encuentro el sumario de la revista, ¿me ayudas a buscarlo?I can't find the table of contents of the magazine. Can you help me look for it?
- Consulta el índice para encontrar el capítulo.Consult the table of contents to find the chapter.
- La tabla de contenidos está al principio.The table of contents is at the beginning.
- Revisa la tabla de contenidos para encontrar el capítulo.Check the table of contents to find the chapter.
- Falta la tabla de contenidos en este libro.The table of contents is missing in this book.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are studying a textbook in a library.
- Javier¿Dónde está la tabla de contenidos?Where is the table of contents?
- SofíaEstá justo después de la portada, Javier.It is right after the cover, Javier.
- JavierGracias, Sofía. No la veía.Thanks, Sofía. I didn't see it.
- SofíaDe nada, ahora podemos estudiar.You're welcome, now we can study.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “table of contents” translations and entries sumario, 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.
