Inklingo

sábanas

SAH-bah-nahsˈsaβanas

sábanas means bed sheets in Spanish (The fabric coverings for a mattress.).

bed sheets

Also: sheets
NounfA1
Mexico / Central America
A simple illustration showing smooth white bed sheets pulled taut over a mattress, ready for use.

📝 In Action

Necesito comprar sábanas nuevas para la cama grande.

A1

I need to buy new sheets for the big bed.

¿Puedes ayudarme a cambiar las sábanas hoy?

A1

Can you help me change the sheets today?

Las sábanas de algodón son muy suaves.

A2

Cotton sheets are very soft.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • cambiar las sábanasto change the sheets
  • sábanas limpiasclean sheets
  • juego de sábanasset of sheets

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "sábanas" in Spanish:

bed sheets

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: sábanas

Question 1 of 2

Which phrase correctly describes the action of putting clean sheets on the bed?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
sábana(sheet (singular))Noun
sabanilla(small sheet / linen cloth)Noun
🎵 Rhymes
mañanascampanas
📚 Etymology

The word comes from the Late Latin term *savana*, which referred to a large cloth or piece of linen. It has been used in Spanish for many centuries.

First recorded: Medieval period (likely before 13th century)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: sábana

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'sábanas' used for sheets other than bed sheets?

Not usually. In Spanish, 'sábanas' refers almost exclusively to the fabric used on mattresses. If you mean a sheet of paper, you would use 'hoja', and if you mean a sheet of metal, you would use 'plancha' or 'lámina'.

How do I specify if I mean the top sheet or the fitted sheet?

You can say 'sábana de arriba' (top/flat sheet) or 'sábana bajera' (fitted sheet). However, in everyday conversation, most people just use 'sábanas' for the whole set.