Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pared | /paˈɾed/ | feminine |
| tabique | /taˈbike/ | masculine |
| muralla | /muˈɾaʝa/ | feminine |
| muro | /ˈmuɾo/ | masculine |
| citara | /θiˈtaɾa/ /siˈtaɾa/ |
feminine |
The term refers to a substantial structure acting as a side or division in a building. Related verbs like amurallar or murar mean to enclose something by surrounding it with walls.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the type of wall you are describing. Use pared for the walls of a room or the interior walls of a building. Use muro for thick, structural or exterior walls, such as a stone wall or a retaining wall. Use tabique specifically for thin partition walls used to divide rooms. Finally, use muralla for large-scale defensive walls, such as a rampart or the walls surrounding a city.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Puerto Rico, muralla is sometimes used to refer to a wall, particularly a city wall or fortification.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
pared is a feminine noun, tabique and muro are masculine and muralla and citara are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈɾed/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use muro for any wall, but using muro for a simple bedroom wall sounds overly heavy or structural. Use pared instead.
When do people say it?
When saying something is hanging 'on the wall', use the preposition en (en la pared) rather than sobre for natural phrasing.
Did you know?
- The word tabique for a thin partition wall actually traces its roots back to the Arabic word tašbīk, which relates to the concept of a grid or network.
- In Spanish, the expression estar contra la pared means to be in a desperate situation with no way out, similar to 'back against the wall'.
Examples in context
- Esa es la pared.That's the wall.This sentence identifies a specific wall.Tatoeba #13611181 by Lernema, translation #13610052 by Babelball
- No está en la pared.It's not on the wall.This sentence describes an object's location relative to a wall.Tatoeba #6627209 by Schuager, translation #6627208 by Schuager
- Lo colgó en la pared.He hung it on the wall.This sentence describes an object being hung on a wall.Tatoeba #1767567 by marcelostockle, translation #770108 by marloncori
- La pintura de la pared está descascarada.The paint on the wall is peeling.
- Voy a colgar el cuadro en el muro.I'm going to hang the painting on the wall.
- Nos reuniremos junto al paredón.We will meet by the wall.
- La casa estaba rodeada por una alta tapia.The house was surrounded by a tall wall.
- La muralla de la ciudad es impresionante.The city wall is impressive.
- 239 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are looking at a room in their new house.
- Mateo¿De qué color es la pared?What color is the wall?
- ElenaEs de color gris, Mateo.It is gray, Mateo.
- MateoMe gusta esa pared.I like that wall.
- ElenaA mí también me gusta.I like it too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wall” translations and entries pared, tabique, muralla, muro, citara, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries muralla, muro, pared, tabique, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
