Inklingo

materiales

mah-teh-RYAH-lehs/ma.teˈɾja.les/

materiales means materials in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

materials, supplies

Also: resources, equipment
NounmA1
A collection of colorful building materials, including wooden blocks, rolls of fabric, and tubes of paint, neatly arranged.

📝 In Action

Olvidé mis materiales escolares en casa.

A1

I forgot my school supplies at home.

Necesitamos comprar los materiales de construcción para empezar la obra.

A2

We need to buy the construction materials to start the work.

Los materiales didácticos están disponibles en línea.

B1

The teaching resources are available online.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • materiales reciclablesrecyclable materials
  • materiales de oficinaoffice supplies
  • materiales de lecturareading materials

material

Also: worldly
A large, smooth, gray river stone placed prominently on a flat surface, emphasizing its solidity and tangibility.

📝 In Action

Las necesidades materiales de la gente son importantes.

B1

The material (physical) needs of the people are important.

No se enfocan solo en las posesiones materiales; valoran lo espiritual.

B2

They don't focus only on material possessions; they value the spiritual.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • físicos (physical)
  • tangibles (tangible)

Antonyms

  • espirituales (spiritual)
  • inmateriales (immaterial)

Common Collocations

  • bienes materialesmaterial goods/possessions
  • pruebas materialesphysical evidence

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "materiales" in Spanish:

equipmentmaterialmaterialsresourcessuppliesworldly

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: materiales

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'materiales' as an adjective (describing a quality)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
socialesleales
📚 Etymology

Comes from the Latin word *materiālis*, meaning 'relating to matter' or 'made of wood/substance.' It entered Spanish to describe anything physical or the things needed to build something.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: materialFrench: matériauxPortuguese: materiais

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'materiales' always masculine?

Yes, when used as a noun meaning 'supplies' or 'resources,' it is always masculine plural (los materiales). When used as an adjective (meaning 'physical'), it can be masculine or feminine depending on the noun it describes (e.g., 'necesidades materiales' is feminine).

How do I say 'raw material' in Spanish?

You use the singular form for the substance: 'materia prima.' 'Materiales' refers to processed or general supplies.