Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| capitales | /kapitales/ (from spelling rules) | feminine, plural |
| caja alta | /kaxa alta/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The term is used to refer to capital letters. When you are discussing letter case in general, such as the distinction between upper and lower case, you might use the phrase mayúsculas y minúsculas.
What does it mean word for word?
The term caja alta literally translates to "high box", which is a legacy term originating from the era of manual typesetting.
Which one should you use?
caja alta is a more technical term. Additionally, Letra capital is used specifically when referring to the capital letter found at the beginning of a word.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Caja alta is a formal or technical term specifically used in typography and printing. Similarly, Letra capital is a formal expression.
How does it change in a sentence?
Capitales is a feminine plural noun. Caja alta is a feminine singular noun phrase.
How do you pronounce it?
/kapitales/
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers use the word mayúscula not only for letters but also to describe an event or a reaction that is 'over the top' or exaggerated.
- The term letra capital refers specifically to the enlarged decorative letter that starts a chapter or section, a feature known in English as a 'drop cap'.
- The word caja in caja alta shares a common ancestor with the English word 'case', meaning both terms originate from the Latin 'capsa', which refers to a box.
Examples in context
- Escribe tu nombre con mayúsculasWrite your name in upper case
- Escribe los nombres propios con letra capitalWrite proper names in upper case
- Escríbelo todo en mayúsculasWrite it all in upper case
- TÚYou
- BÚSQUEDASearch
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are working on a school project.
- LucíaAlejandro, ¿el nombre va en capitales?Alejandro, does the name go in capital letters?
- AlejandroSí, ponlo así para que resalte.Yes, put it like that so it stands out.
- LucíaEstá bien, usaré capitales ahora mismo.Alright, I will use capital letters right now.
- AlejandroGracias, Lucía, así quedará mejor.Thanks, Lucía, it will look better that way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “upper case” translations and entries capitales, 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 caja, CC BY-SA 4.0.
