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talla

TAH-yahˈtaʎa

size

Also: dress size
NounfA1
SpainMexico/Central America
A stack of three folded t-shirts, clearly showing different widths to represent small, medium, and large sizes.

📝 In Action

¿Qué talla de camisa usas?

A1

What shirt size do you wear?

Necesito cambiar estos pantalones por una talla más grande.

A2

I need to exchange these pants for a bigger size.

La talla S es pequeña, ¿tienes la M?

A1

Size S is small, do you have the M?

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • talla única – one size fits all
  • talla grande – large size
  • talla pequeña – small size

height, stature

Also: build
NounfB1
A very tall adult person standing next to a much shorter child, illustrating the difference in their physical stature or height.

📝 In Action

Es un jugador de alta talla, mide casi dos metros.

B1

He is a tall player; he measures almost two meters.

Mi hermana es de talla mediana, ni muy alta ni muy baja.

B2

My sister is of medium height, neither very tall nor very short.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • de baja talla – short stature

carving, sculpture

Also: cut, engraving
NounfB2
A detailed but simple wooden carving of a stylized bird resting on a small block of wood, showing the texture of the carving.

📝 In Action

La iglesia está llena de tallas de madera antiguas.

B2

The church is full of ancient wooden carvings (sculptures).

El diamante tiene una talla perfecta que refleja la luz.

C1

The diamond has a perfect cut that reflects the light.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • talla en madera – wood carving

caliber, stature

Also: level
NounfC1formal
A single, large, highly polished gemstone with perfect facets resting on a velvet cloth, emphasizing its superior quality.

📝 In Action

Es un artista de talla internacional, conocido en todo el mundo.

C1

He is an artist of international caliber, known worldwide.

El equipo necesita un delantero de la talla de Messi.

C2

The team needs a forward of the stature (or quality) of Messi.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • calidad (quality)
  • categoría (category, high standing)

Common Collocations

  • de talla mundial – world-class, world caliber
  • de gran talla – of great importance

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: talla

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'talla' in its figurative meaning of 'caliber'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tallar(to carve, to cut, to size) — Verb
tallador(carver, cutter) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the verb 'tallar' (to carve or cut), which itself has roots in ancient Germanic languages, related to the idea of 'cutting' or 'shaping.' This is why 'talla' refers both to a measurement (a shape) and a carving (a shape created by cutting).

First recorded: Late Middle Ages (13th-14th century)

Cognates (Related words)

French: tailleItalian: taglia

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'talla' and 'tamaño'?

'Talla' is almost always used specifically for clothing, shoes, or jewelry sizes. 'Tamaño' is a general word for physical dimension, magnitude, or volume (e.g., 'el tamaño de la casa'—the size of the house).

How do I ask for a different size when shopping?

You can say: 'Quiero una talla más grande' (I want one size bigger) or '¿Tienen esto en mi talla?' (Do you have this in my size?).