How to Say "bead" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “bead” is “perla” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Ella lleva un collar de perlas muy elegante.
She is wearing a very elegant pearl necklace.
Las perlas se forman dentro de las ostras en el mar.
Pearls form inside oysters in the sea.
Tenía perlas de sudor en la frente después de correr.
He had beads of sweat on his forehead after running.
Countable Nouns
Just like in English, 'perla' is something you can count. You can have 'una perla' or 'muchas perlas'.
Gender Consistency
Because it ends in 'a', it is feminine. Use 'la' or 'una' and make sure any describing words also end in 'a', like 'perla blanca'.
Pearls vs. Beads
Mistake: “Using 'perla' for every single bead on a piece of plastic jewelry.”
Correction: Use 'perla' for real pearls or high-quality imitations. For cheap plastic beads, use 'cuenta' or 'abalorio'.
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