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letras

LEH-tras/ˈle.tɾas/

letters (of the alphabet)

Also: characters
NounfA1
A simple wooden tray filled with many small, colorful, distinct geometric shapes (squares, triangles, circles), suggesting the components of written language.

📝 In Action

¿Cuántas letras tiene la palabra 'paraguas'?

A1

How many letters does the word 'paraguas' have?

El niño está aprendiendo a reconocer las letras mayúsculas.

A2

The child is learning to recognize the capital letters.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • caracteres (characters)

Common Collocations

  • letras mayúsculas – capital letters
  • letras minúsculas – lowercase letters

lyrics

Also: words
NounfA2
A happy cartoon character singing joyfully, with colorful, flowing ribbons and stylized musical notes floating upward from their mouth.

📝 In Action

Me encantan las letras de la nueva canción de Shakira.

A2

I love the lyrics of Shakira's new song.

Él escribe las letras y ella compone la música.

B1

He writes the lyrics and she composes the music.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • lírica (lyricism)
  • texto (text)

Common Collocations

  • escribir letras – to write lyrics
  • la letra de una canción – the words of a song (often singular 'letra')

humanities

Also: literature
NounfB1
A stylized composition featuring a green laurel wreath, a small classical column fragment, and a representation of an open book shape, symbolizing academic study.

📝 In Action

Mi hermana estudia Letras en la Universidad de Salamanca.

B1

My sister studies Humanities/Literature at the University of Salamanca.

Siempre fui mejor en letras que en ciencias.

B2

I was always better at humanities than at sciences.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • Facultad de Letras – Faculty of Arts/Humanities

bill of exchange

Also: draft
NounfC1formal
Two stylized hands shaking firmly above a rolled and sealed scroll tied with a red ribbon, symbolizing a formal financial agreement or promise of payment.

📝 In Action

El abogado revisó la letra de cambio antes de firmarla.

C1

The lawyer reviewed the bill of exchange before signing it.

El vencimiento de la letra es a 90 días.

C2

The maturity of the draft is 90 days.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pagaré (promissory note)

Common Collocations

  • letra de cambio – bill of exchange
  • aceptar una letra – to accept a draft

Idioms & Expressions

  • al pie de la letra – following instructions exactly

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "letras" in Spanish:

characters→humanities→literature→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: letras

Question 1 of 2

Which meaning of 'letras' is used in the phrase: 'Las letras de esa canción son muy tristes.'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
letra(letter (singular), handwriting) — Noun
letrero(sign, notice) — Noun
letrado(literate, educated person) — Adjective / Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
petrasmetras
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'littera,' which meant both an individual character and the entire concept of writing or literature.

First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish.

Cognates (Related words)

French: lettresItalian: lettere

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'letras' plural when referring to the field of study (Humanities)?

It's plural because it encompasses many different subjects—like language, history, and literature—all related to written culture and human expression, much like the English 'Arts' or 'Humanities' is often plural.

How do I say 'letter' in the sense of 'mail'?

For a 'letter' you send in the mail, you must use the word 'carta'. 'Letra' only refers to the written characters, the lyrics, or the academic field.