Inklingo

How to Say "cape" in Spanish

English → Spanish

capa

KAH-pah/ˈkapa/

nounA2general
Use 'capa' when referring to a garment worn over the shoulders, like a cloak or mantle.
A simple illustration of a figure standing, wearing a long, flowing red cape draped over their shoulders.

Examples

El mago llevaba una capa negra muy larga.

The magician was wearing a very long black cape.

Necesitas ponerte una capa si hace mucho frío.

You need to put on a cloak if it's very cold.

Gender Reminder

Even though it ends in '-a', remember 'capa' is always feminine: 'la capa' (the cape).

cabo

/KAH-boh//ˈkaβo/

nounB1geography
Use 'cabo' for a point of land that juts out into the sea, also known as a headland or promontory.
A high, rocky piece of land dramatically jutting out into a vast blue ocean under a clear sky.

Examples

El Cabo de Hornos es famoso por sus vientos fuertes.

Cape Horn is famous for its strong winds.

Desde aquí se puede ver el cabo en la distancia.

From here you can see the headland in the distance.

punta

/POON-tah//ˈpunta/

nounB1geography
Use 'punta' to describe a more general piece of land sticking out into the sea, often smaller than a 'cabo' or used in place names.
A simple illustration showing a straight row of five identical red blocks, highlighting the last block at the end of the row.

Examples

La Punta Cana es un destino turístico muy famoso.

Punta Cana is a very famous tourist destination (referring to the cape/headland).

Nos encontramos en la punta de la calle.

We met at the end of the street.

Geographical Use

When referring to a geographical feature like a cape, 'punta' is often part of a proper noun (e.g., Punta del Este).

Clothing vs. Geography

The most common mistake is confusing the Spanish words for geographic capes ('cabo', 'punta') with the word for a clothing cape ('capa'). Always remember that 'capa' is for garments, while 'cabo' and 'punta' refer to land formations.

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