tela
“tela” means “cloth” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
cloth, fabric
Also: material
📝 In Action
Esta chaqueta está hecha de una tela muy suave.
A2This jacket is made of a very soft fabric.
Necesito un metro de tela roja para el proyecto.
A1I need one meter of red cloth for the project.
El sofá está tapizado con una tela resistente.
B1The sofa is upholstered with a resistant material.
money, dough
📝 In Action
¿Tienes suficiente tela para invitar a todos?
B2Do you have enough dough/cash to treat everyone?
Ese coche cuesta mucha tela.
C1That car costs a lot of money.
mess, difficulty
📝 In Action
¡Vaya tela! No esperaba que la presentación fuera tan mala.
C1Wow, what a mess/disappointment! I didn't expect the presentation to be so bad.
Hay mucha tela que cortar en este tema.
C2There is a lot of ground/work to cover on this topic.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tela
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'tela' in its most common, literal sense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word 'tela,' which meant 'web' or 'warp' (the lengthwise threads in weaving). It has always been connected to woven material.
First recorded: Before the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'tela' sometimes mean money?
This is a figurative extension. Just as English uses 'material' or 'stuff' to refer to wealth, 'tela' (fabric/material) was adopted in Spanish slang, especially in Spain, as an informal way to refer to cash or funds ('dough').
Is 'tela de araña' the only way to say spiderweb?
Yes, 'tela de araña' is the standard phrase. It literally describes the web as the 'cloth' woven by the spider, reinforcing the word's primary meaning.