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pantalla

pan-TA-yapanˈtaʎa

screen

Also: monitor, display
NounfA1
A brightly lit, rectangular computer monitor displaying a simple, colorful landscape with a blue sky and green hills.

📝 In Action

La pantalla de mi móvil se rompió cuando se me cayó.

A1

The screen of my cell phone broke when I dropped it.

Ayer compré una televisión con una pantalla muy grande.

A2

Yesterday I bought a television with a very large screen.

Estuve mirando la pantalla de mi ordenador todo el día.

A2

I was staring at my computer screen all day.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • monitor (monitor)
  • visualizador (display unit)

Common Collocations

  • pantalla táctil – touch screen
  • pantalla plana – flat screen

lampshade

Also: light screen
NounfB1
A simple table lamp with a wide, conical yellow lampshade covering the light bulb, casting a warm glow.

📝 In Action

Esa lámpara tiene una pantalla de tela muy elegante.

B1

That lamp has a very elegant fabric lampshade.

La bombilla estaba demasiado expuesta, así que le puse una pantalla.

B2

The lightbulb was too exposed, so I put a lampshade on it.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tulipa (lamp globe/cover (smaller))

shield

Also: barrier, visor
NounfB2
A large, sturdy wooden shield painted with a simple red and blue stripe pattern, used as a protective barrier.

📝 In Action

El trabajador llevaba una pantalla de seguridad para protegerse de las chispas.

B2

The worker was wearing a safety shield to protect himself from sparks.

Instalaron pantallas acústicas para reducir el ruido del tráfico.

C1

They installed acoustic barriers (screens) to reduce traffic noise.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • protector (protector)
  • mampara (partition/divider)

Common Collocations

  • pantalla protectora – protective shield
  • pantalla facial – face shield

smokescreen, façade

Also: pretext, front
NounfC1formal
A massive, thick cloud of swirling white and gray smoke completely obscuring a small structure behind it.

📝 In Action

Su aparente humildad es solo una pantalla para manipular a la gente.

C1

His apparent humility is just a facade (smokescreen) to manipulate people.

Los nuevos impuestos son una pantalla para encubrir la corrupción.

C2

The new taxes are a smokescreen to cover up the corruption.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • servir de pantalla – to serve as a smokescreen

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pantalla

Question 1 of 3

Which meaning of 'pantalla' is used when describing a deceptive appearance?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pantallazo(screenshot / quick flash) — Noun
pantallita(small screen (diminutive)) — Noun
pantallar(to screen / to shield (less common verb)) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'pantalla' likely comes from a connection to the idea of a flat piece of cloth or board used to cover or shield something, eventually evolving to mean a surface that displays light, or a cover for a light source (lampshade).

First recorded: 16th century (in Spanish, related to shielding or covering)

Cognates (Related words)

Catalan: pantallaPortuguese: pantala

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Es 'pantalla' masculino o femenino?

'Pantalla' es siempre femenino. Siempre debes decir 'la pantalla' o 'una pantalla'.

How do I say 'take a screenshot' using 'pantalla'?

The most common way is to use the related noun 'pantallazo' or the verb phrase 'tomar una captura de pantalla' (to take a screen capture).