Inklingo
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hoja

/OH-hah/

leaf

A close-up view of a single, vibrant green leaf, showing its veins and smooth edges.

Hoja as a 'leaf' from a plant.

hoja(noun)

fA1

leaf

?

part of a plant

Also:

foliage

?

collective term

📝 In Action

La ardilla escondió la nuez debajo de una hoja grande.

A1

The squirrel hid the nut under a large leaf.

En otoño, las hojas cambian de color.

A2

In autumn, the leaves change color.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pétalo (petal)
  • follaje (foliage)

Common Collocations

  • hoja seca – dry leaf
  • hoja perenne – evergreen leaf

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Trap

Even though 'hoja' starts with a strong 'H' sound (like 'O'), it is feminine, so you use 'la hoja' and not 'el hoja'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Plural Use

When talking about many leaves, use the plural 'hojas.' 'Las hojas de los árboles son verdes.' (The leaves of the trees are green.)

A perfectly flat, blank white sheet of rectangular paper resting on a light blue table.

Hoja as a 'sheet' of paper.

hoja(noun)

fA1

sheet

?

of paper

Also:

page

?

of a book/document

📝 In Action

Necesito una hoja de papel para escribir una nota.

A1

I need a sheet of paper to write a note.

Por favor, firma al final de la última hoja del contrato.

B1

Please sign at the end of the last page of the contract.

Imprimió el informe en veinte hojas.

A2

He printed the report on twenty sheets.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • página (page)
  • folio (sheet/folio)

Common Collocations

  • hoja de cálculo – spreadsheet
  • hoja de vida – résumé / CV (common in Latin America)
  • hoja en blanco – blank sheet

Idioms & Expressions

  • pasar la hoja – to turn the page (figuratively, to move on from a past event)

💡 Grammar Points

Paper Quantity

If you are talking about the material 'paper,' use 'papel' (uncountable). If you are talking about a single unit of paper, use 'una hoja de papel' (a sheet of paper).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Paper and Sheet

Mistake: "Dame un papel."

Correction: Dame una hoja de papel. (Unless you literally mean 'give me the material paper,' you usually mean 'give me a sheet.')

A polished, silver metallic blade with a sharp edge, appearing clean and reflective, detached from a handle.

Hoja as the 'blade' of a knife.

hoja(noun)

fB1

blade

?

of a knife, sword, or propeller

Also:

pane

?

of glass

,

sheet

?

of metal/dough

📝 In Action

La hoja del cuchillo estaba muy afilada.

B1

The blade of the knife was very sharp.

El carpintero cortó una hoja de madera fina.

B2

The carpenter cut a thin sheet of wood.

El molino tiene tres grandes hojas que giran con el viento.

B2

The windmill has three large blades that turn with the wind.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cuchilla (razor/large blade)
  • lámina (thin sheet (of metal))

Common Collocations

  • hoja de afeitar – razor blade
  • hoja de sierra – saw blade

💡 Grammar Points

Meaning Extension

This meaning shows how 'hoja' evolved from 'leaf' (a thin, flat piece of nature) to any thin, flat, and often sharp or functional piece of material.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: hoja

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'hoja' to refer to a component of a tool?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

hojear(to flip through/browse (pages)) - verb
hojita(little leaf/small sheet) - noun (diminutive)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I distinguish between 'hoja' (sheet) and 'página' (page)?

'Hoja' refers to the physical piece of paper, which has two sides. 'Página' refers to one side of that sheet, usually numbered in a book or document. If you print on both sides, one 'hoja' contains two 'páginas.'

Why is 'hoja' feminine if it sounds like it should follow the 'el' rule (e.g., el agua)?

The rule about using 'el' instead of 'la' before feminine nouns that start with a stressed 'a' sound (like 'agua' or 'águila') does not apply to words starting with 'ho-' like 'hoja.' 'Hoja' is always feminine: 'la hoja.'