tapicería
/tapiθeˈɾia/
In Spanish, upholstery is tapicería.
The word tapicería refers both to the upholstery materials themselves and to the business or shop where upholstery work is performed. To refer to the person who performs the work (an upholsterer), use the masculine noun tapicero.
Meaning: materials so used (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, people often use the term tapicería to refer to upholstery.
How do you pronounce it?
/tapiθeˈɾia/
Did you know?
- The word tapicería is derived from tapiz, which refers to a tapestry or wall hanging, suggesting that the craft originally evolved from the art of weaving large fabrics.
- The suffix -ería in tapicería is a common way in Spanish to turn a noun into a word for a shop, such as in panadería for a bakery or librería for a bookstore.
- While tapicería refers to the fabric, Spanish has a distinct word for the internal stuffing or padding of a sofa, often called relleno.
Examples in context
- El sofá necesita una nueva tapicería.The sofa needs new upholstery.
- El automóvil necesita un nuevo forro de asientos.The car needs new seat upholstery.
- El sofá necesita nueva tela.The sofa needs new upholstery fabric.
- Los cojines del sillón necesitan un nuevo forro.The armchair cushions need new upholstery covers.
- La tapicería del sofá es de terciopelo.The upholstery of the sofa is velvet.
- La tapicería de este sofá es de terciopelo.The upholstery of this sofa is velvet.
- Necesito cambiar la tapicería de mi silla vieja.I need to change the upholstery of my old chair.
- Elegimos una tapicería resistente para el coche.We chose a durable upholstery for the car.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are at a furniture store looking at a sofa.
- Mateo¿Te gusta la tapicería de este modelo?Do you like the upholstery of this model?
- SofíaSí, Mateo, es muy suave.Yes, Mateo, it is very soft.
- MateoPero es un poco cara para nosotros.But it is a bit expensive for us.
- SofíaEs verdad, busquemos algo más barato.True, let's look for something cheaper.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tapicería, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tapicería, CC BY-SA 4.0.
