letra
/LEH-trah/
letter
Letra can mean an individual symbol of the alphabet, like the fundamental unit of writing.
📝 In Action
La primera letra del abecedario es la 'A'.
A1The first letter of the alphabet is 'A'.
¿Cuántas letras tiene la palabra 'paraguas'?
A1How many letters does the word 'umbrella' have?
Escribí mi nombre en letras mayúsculas.
A2I wrote my name in capital letters.
💡 Grammar Points
It's Feminine
Remember that 'letra' is a feminine noun, so you must use 'la letra' or 'una letra'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Letter vs. Mail
Do not confuse 'letra' (an alphabet symbol) with 'carta' (a letter you send in the mail).
When referring to music, letra translates to 'lyrics'—the words that make up a song.
📝 In Action
Me encanta la melodía, pero no conozco la letra de esa canción.
A2I love the melody, but I don’t know the lyrics of that song.
La letra de esta canción es muy emotiva.
B1The words of this song are very emotional.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Singular in Spanish
Mistake: "The lyrics are in Spanish. (Las letras están en español.)"
Correction: The correct way is to use 'la letra' (singular) to mean 'the lyrics' (plural in English): 'La letra está en español'.
Letra describes a person's unique style of handwriting.
📝 In Action
Tiene una letra muy bonita y legible.
B1She has very pretty and legible handwriting.
No pude entender lo que escribió porque su letra es terrible.
B1I couldn't understand what he wrote because his writing is terrible.
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing Handwriting
Use adjectives like 'bonita' (pretty), 'legible' (readable), 'fea' (ugly), or 'clara' (clear) to describe someone's 'letra'.
In a financial context, letra refers to a 'bill of exchange'—a formal financial document.
📝 In Action
El banco descontó una letra a 90 días.
C1The bank discounted a 90-day bill of exchange.
Tuvimos que pagar la letra del coche este mes.
B2We had to pay the car installment/payment this month.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
If you hear 'letra' in a financial context, especially related to banks, loans, or debt, it refers to a written promise of payment or an installment.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: letra
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'letra' to mean 'lyrics'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'letra' and 'carta'?
'Letra' is one single character of the alphabet (A, B, C, etc.). 'Carta' means a written letter that you send in the mail, like a message to a friend.
How do I say 'capital letters' in Spanish?
You use the phrase 'letras mayúsculas' (literally 'bigger letters'). For lowercase, you say 'letras minúsculas'.