cartas
“cartas” means “letters” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
letters
Also: mail, correspondence
📝 In Action
Ella guarda todas las cartas de su abuela en una caja.
A1She keeps all her grandmother's letters in a box.
¿Cuántas cartas recibiste hoy en el buzón?
A1How many letters did you receive in the mailbox today?
Necesito enviar estas cartas por correo urgente.
A2I need to send these letters by express mail.
cards
Also: the hand, fortune telling cards
📝 In Action
El mago hizo desaparecer las cartas de la baraja.
A2The magician made the cards in the deck disappear.
Hoy vamos a jugar a las cartas en casa de Ana.
A2Today we are going to play cards at Ana's house.
Me leyeron las cartas y predijeron un buen futuro.
B1They read my cards and predicted a good future.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cartas
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'cartas' to refer to communication?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The Spanish word 'carta' (from which 'cartas' is plural) comes from the Latin word *charta*, meaning 'paper,' 'writing material,' or 'sheet.' It is related to the English word 'chart' and 'card.'
First recorded: c. 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Por qué 'cartas' significa tanto 'letters' como 'playing cards'?
Historically, both correspondence (letters) and playing cards were made from the same material: heavy paper or card stock. The original Spanish word 'carta' refers to this material, and the name stuck for both objects.
If I want to talk about a menu in a restaurant, should I use 'cartas'?
No. A single menu is 'la carta' (singular). If you are referring to a wine list, you might use 'la carta de vinos,' but generally, stick to the singular 'carta' for the menu itself.