How to say 170+ clothing items in Spanish: A ridiculously helpful vocab guide

Whether you’re looking to dress to impress or simply want to buy a new pair of socks, learning the names of clothes in Spanish is sure to pay off.

Traveling around Spanish-speaking countries is one of the best ways to learn Spanish, and who doesn’t love shopping while traveling? You’ll be able to acquire some exciting and unique clothes from all the culturally-rich regional cultures of Spain and Latin America

Even if shopping isn’t exactly your cup of tea, we all need clothes to survive! Here are a few situations when knowing clothing vocabulary in Spanish could come in handy:

• You move to a Spanish-speaking country and need to go clothes shopping.
• You run into a wonderful street market and want to buy some unique clothes.
• You want to get a souvenir for yourself or your loved ones back home.
• You planned a trip to Argentina in July and forgot to bring your winter clothes for the Southern Hemisphere winter.

As you can see, you’re very likely to need to talk about clothes in Spanish at some point! This guide will walk you through over two hundred different clothing vocabulary words, so don’t worry if it seems like a lot. Instead, spend some time learning your favorite words and familiarize yourself with the rest. Start by learning some of the most popular clothing names with this free activity poster.

Table of contents

• Clothes in Spanish
• Download our FREE activity poster
• Outerwear in Spanish
• Clothing-related Spanish idioms
• Clothes-related verbs in Spanish
• Cultural considerations when it comes to clothing in Spanish

Clothes in Spanish

The first thing you should know is how to actually say “clothes” in Spanish. The Spanish word for clothes is ropa. As with English, ropa is plural and can refer to a whole outfit or clothes in general. However, ropa is generally used in the singular form as a general term for all clothing, so you should still say la ropa, mi ropa, etc.

If you need to talk about a singular piece of clothing, though, there’s another word for that: prenda. This one can be plural as well, so if you’re talking about a few specific pieces of clothing, you can also say prendas! More in the table below.

Example sentences of clothing in Spanish

Here are some example sentences that will help you both understand how to use the vocabulary words introduced above and also visualize some of the most common scenarios you will encounter where you will need to talk about clothes in Spanish.

Download our FREE activity poster

For a great way to memorize the most common clothing types in Spanish, make it interactive. Download our printable activity poster today, it's sure to pay off. Let's go!

Dress codes in Spanish

Learning the dress codes in Spanish can save you a lot of trouble–and even potential embarrassment! Whether you’re attending an important business event or a quinceañera, you want to make sure you are always dressed appropriately. Here are some of the most common ways to talk about dress codes in Spanish.

Underwear in Spanish

Maybe you forgot to pack your underwear, or maybe you’ve stayed in Spain or Latin America and need to top-up your underwear drawer. Whatever the case, you definitely do not want to be in a situation where you wish you knew how to say underwear in Spanish! Here are a variety of underwear types along with how to say them in Spanish.

Outerwear in Spanish

Outerwear can serve many purposes. From protecting us from the elements to making us look nice, there’s no denying the importance of our clothes. Let’s break outerwear down into a few categories to then talk about how to say them in Spanish.

Dress in Spanish

If you enjoy wearing dresses, you probably have a long list of all your favorite dress styles. Of course, there’s a different way to say each type of dress in Spanish. Don’t be overwhelmed by all the different dresses, though! Just focus on the most important ones (and your favorites!).

Pants in Spanish

From chinos to slacks to jeans, there are many different types of pants in Spanish. Interestingly, the word “pants” is very commonly used in Spanish to refer to a very specific type of pants: tracksuit pants! So if you hear someone say pants in Spanish, no, your brain isn’t playing any tricks on you!

Shirts and tops in Spanish

There is such a wide variety of tops and shirts in Spanish that it’s hard to know where to begin. From polo shirts to blouses, there are all kinds of tops out there for you to learn! Again, don’t stress too much about memorizing every single one. Instead, focus on learning your favorites and just familiarizing yourself with the rest!

Jacket or coat in Spanish

If the beautiful beaches of Mexico or a cool glass of sangría in the warm sun of Valencia is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Spanish, you might be wondering why the emphasis on coats and jackets in Spanish. If that’s the case, you may be surprised to learn that some of the coldest places on Earth are actually in Spanish-speaking countries!

Think of Patagonia, which is the region in the southern tip of South America composed of mountains, forests, glaciers, and even fjords! This icy region can get extremely cold in the winter, and it even hosts the world’s southernmost city: Ushuaia, Argentina! In fact, if you’re interested in ever visiting Antarctica, Ushuaia is the most common port of call for Antarctica cruises!

As if that wasn’t enough, Latin America is also home to some of the highest cities in the world! In fact, the top five highest cities in the world are all located in Latin America:

1. La Paz, Bolivia - 3,869 m (12,693 ft)
2. Quito, Ecuador - 2,784 m (9,133 ft)
3. Toluca, Mexico - 2,648 m (8,687 ft)
4. Cochabamba, Bolivia - 2,621 m (8,599 ft)
5. Bogota, Colombia - 2,601 m (8,533 ft)

As you can imagine, all of the cities above can get very cold with such elevations! Now, without further ado, let’s get into how to say jackets and coats in Spanish.

Skirt in Spanish

Just as there are many different types of dresses to learn, there are also all kinds of skirts in Spanish. Luckily, many of these overlap, so you’ll have an easier time learning the skirts if you’ve already studied the dresses!

Swimming and athletic clothes in Spanish

Whether you’re a die-hard athlete, or simply enjoy wearing cute athleisure outfits to get your morning latte, this section’s for you. Check out the table below to learn how to talk about athletic clothes in Spanish! 

Shoes and boots in Spanish

You didn’t think we were gonna get through this whole article without talking about shoes, right? Whether you consider shoes to be the most important piece to bring your outfit together, or you simply care about using the right shoes to maximize comfort, you should definitely spend some time learning at least a handful of different shoes in Spanish.

Hats in Spanish

Last but not least, we have hats. Though you may think there are only a handful of different types of hats, the truth is that they’re an entire world of their own. From baseball caps to Panama hats, there are dozens of different types of hats to keep the sun out of your face (while looking stylish!). Check out the table below for over a dozen ways to say hat in Spanish.

Other important clothing-related terms

Now, most of the items below aren’t strictly considered clothing, but they can be a part of a great outfit, so we’re including them! From jewelry to accessories, check out the table below for some fun clothing in Spanish vocabulary.

Pant styles in Spanish

Selecting the correct pant style is one thing that can get confusing when shopping for clothes, especially if you’re still a beginner in Spanish. That’s why we’ve decided to include this table below, so you can shop for pants in Spanish like a pro!

Clothing-related Spanish idioms

If you’re an intermediate Spanish speaker, you’re probably already familiar with the wonderful world of Spanish idioms. Many of these come with deep pearls of wisdom, while others are just shady remarks that you can use to look like a true native!

Clothes-related verbs in Spanish

Spanish is a verb-heavy language, so there are many verbs that will come in useful when talking about clothes. Whether you’re out shopping or simply talking about wearing or changing clothes, make sure to know the following clothes-related verbs in Spanish!

Cultural considerations when it comes to clothing in Spanish

Your appearance is very important

Across most of Latin America, the clothes you wear are extremely important. Beyond marking someone else’s first impression of you, what you wear and how you dress can also impact long-standing relationships. For example, it can be considered rude to show up at your friend’s house without looking nice, as it can be a sign of disrespect.

This is especially important when it comes to business relationships, as how you dress can impact how well you do in the Spanish-speaking business world. In fact, LinkedIn considers dress codes to be one of the biggest cultural differences when doing business in Latin America!

Sizes are different

Of course, clothing sizes are different because they’re in Spanish, but they also tend to use different sizing charts! Most of Latin America uses the European sizing chart, but this does vary per country. Check out the handy chart below so you’re always prepared.

Informal markets are very popular

You may already know that a lot of shopping is done at informal markets all over Latin America, and clothes are certainly no exception. If you visit Mexico and want to shop for some unique clothes, look out for a “tianguis de paca.” These informal street markets will let you overhaul your entire wardrobe for pennies!

And as with all informal markets in Latin America, bargaining is not only encouraged but even expected. Try to get a better deal by making your own bundles and coming up with your own price for the whole bundle. Just make sure to always ask for the original price and then bid much lower for the bundle!

Now go fulfill your shopping wants in Spanish Speaking countries

We hope this article has enough clothing items to satisfy even the most severe of shopaholics. All in all, we covered over 170 names for clothing in Spanish plus a few extra dozen words related to clothes.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure you check out our Spanish blog! We publish exciting new articles every month to help you keep pushing your Spanish boundaries. Our posts are always completely free too, so make sure to bookmark the page and share it with your friends!