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carta

KAR-tah/ˈkaɾta/

letter

Also: mail
NounfA1
A hand dropping a sealed white envelope with a colorful stamp into the slot of a bright red, traditional mailbox.

📝 In Action

Escribo una carta para mi abuela.

A1

I'm writing a letter to my grandmother.

¿Has recibido alguna carta hoy?

A2

Have you received any mail today?

Envió la solicitud por carta certificada para estar seguro.

B1

He sent the application by registered letter to be sure.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • misiva (missive (formal))
  • epístola (epistle (literary))

Common Collocations

  • escribir una carta – to write a letter
  • enviar/mandar una carta – to send a letter
  • carta de amor – love letter
  • echar una carta al buzón – to post a letter

Idioms & Expressions

  • tomar cartas en el asunto – to take matters into one's own hands; to intervene

menu

Also: wine list, charter
NounfA2
Latin America
A person's hands holding an open, folded booklet that is clearly a restaurant menu, sitting at a table with a plate of food nearby.

📝 In Action

Camarero, ¿nos trae la carta, por favor?

A2

Waiter, could you bring us the menu, please?

Todo en la carta parece delicioso.

A2

Everything on the menu looks delicious.

Este restaurante tiene una carta de vinos muy impresionante.

B1

This restaurant has a very impressive wine list.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • menú (menu)

Common Collocations

  • pedir la carta – to ask for the menu
  • mirar la carta – to look at the menu
  • carta de postres – dessert menu
  • fuera de carta – off the menu (specials)

Idioms & Expressions

  • cantarle las cuarenta (a alguien) – to tell someone off; to give someone a piece of your mind (from a card game)

card

Also: playing card
NounfB1
A single rectangular playing card lying face up, displaying a large, simple red heart symbol in the center.

📝 In Action

Me gusta jugar a las cartas con mis amigos los viernes.

B1

I like to play cards with my friends on Fridays.

Roba una carta del mazo.

B1

Draw a card from the deck.

Puso sus cartas sobre la mesa para mostrar que había ganado.

B2

He put his cards on the table to show he had won.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • naipe (playing card)

Common Collocations

  • jugar a las cartas – to play cards
  • baraja de cartas – deck of cards
  • repartir las cartas – to deal the cards
  • un castillo de cartas – a house of cards

Idioms & Expressions

  • poner las cartas sobre la mesa – to be honest and open about your intentions
  • jugar(se) la última carta – to try one's last resort or final option

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: carta

Question 1 of 2

You're at a restaurant in Madrid and want to see the fixed-price lunch special. What should you ask for?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cartero / cartera(mail carrier, postman/postwoman) — Noun
cartería(post office) — Noun
cartearse(to write to each other, to correspond) — Verb
portacartas(letter rack, letter holder) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
martapartaharta
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'charta', which meant 'a sheet of papyrus' or 'a document'. This original meaning of a flat sheet of paper helps explain why it can mean a letter, a menu, or even a map ('carta náutica' - nautical chart).

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: cartaPortuguese: cartaEnglish: chart, card, charter

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between 'carta' and 'menú' in a restaurant?

Think of 'la carta' as the big book with all the food the restaurant can possibly make (what English speakers call the à la carte menu). 'El menú' (or 'menú del día') is usually a special daily offer with a fixed price that includes a couple of choices for a first course, second course, and dessert.

Can 'carta' mean a map?

Yes, but it's a bit more specific. You'll see it in phrases like 'carta náutica' (nautical chart/map) or 'carta astral' (astrological chart). For a regular road map, it's much more common to use the word 'mapa'.

How do I say 'a deck of cards'?

You would say 'una baraja de cartas'. 'Cartas' refers to the individual cards, while 'baraja' is the whole deck.