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material

mah-teh-ree-AHL/ma.teˈɾjal/

“material” means “material” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

material, supplies

Also: stuff, fabric
NounmA1
A colorful storybook illustration showing three distinct raw materials stacked neatly: a wooden plank, a coiled metal wire, and a swatch of blue fabric.

📝 In Action

Necesito comprar material escolar para el niño.

A1

I need to buy school supplies for the child.

Este material es muy resistente al agua.

A2

This material is very water resistant.

El carpintero tiene todo el material listo para empezar la obra.

B1

The carpenter has all the equipment ready to start the work.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • material de construcción – building material
  • material reciclable – recyclable material

material, financial

Also: earthly
A colorful storybook illustration of a hand gently touching a large, solid, gray stone cube, emphasizing its physical and tangible nature.

📝 In Action

La vida material no es lo más importante.

B1

Material life (physical things) is not the most important thing.

Ella tiene muchas necesidades materiales que cubrir.

B1

She has many material (physical/financial) needs to cover.

El daño material a la propiedad fue mínimo.

C1

The material damage (physical damage) to the property was minimal.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • físico (physical)
  • tangible (tangible)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • bienes materiales – material goods
  • mundo material – material world

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "material" in Spanish:

earthly→fabric→financial→material→stuff→supplies→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: material

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'material' as an adjective, describing something physical or tangible?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
materialismo(materialism) — Noun
materialista(materialistic (person)) — Noun / Adjective
materializar(to materialize) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word *materialis*, meaning 'relating to matter' or 'composed of matter.' It entered Spanish early and retained its core meaning of physical substance.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: materialFrench: matérielItalian: materiale

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'material' is a noun or an adjective?

If it is preceded by 'el' or 'un' (like 'el material'), it's the noun meaning 'stuff' or 'supplies.' If it follows a noun (like 'daño material'), it's the adjective meaning 'physical' or 'tangible' and describes that noun.