Inklingo

How to Say "cloth" in Spanish

English → Spanish

tela

TAY-lah/ˈtela/

nounA2general
Use 'tela' when referring to the material used for making clothes, curtains, upholstery, or other common household items.
A smooth piece of richly textured red fabric draped over a wooden spool.

Examples

Esta chaqueta está hecha de una tela muy suave.

This jacket is made of a very soft fabric.

Necesito un metro de tela roja para el proyecto.

I need one meter of red cloth for the project.

El sofá está tapizado con una tela resistente.

The sofa is upholstered with a resistant material.

Gender Check

Remember that 'tela' is always feminine, so you must use 'la' or 'una' before it, and any describing words (adjectives) must also end in '-a' (e.g., 'la tela suave').

tejido

/te-JI-do//teˈxiðo/

nounA2general
Use 'tejido' to refer broadly to textile material, especially when emphasizing its woven or knitted structure, or when buying fabric for a specific craft project.
A large piece of bright red, soft cotton cloth is folded neatly, resting on a light wooden surface, illustrating fabric.

Examples

Necesito comprar un tejido de algodón para hacer las cortinas.

I need to buy a cotton fabric to make the curtains.

Este tipo de tejido es muy resistente al agua.

This type of cloth is very water-resistant.

Gender Check

Even though 'tela' (fabric) is feminine, 'tejido' is masculine. Remember to use 'el' or 'un': 'el tejido'.

género

nounB2commercial
Use 'género' when referring to fabric or textile material as merchandise, especially in a commercial context like a shop or warehouse.

Examples

El comerciante recibió ayer el nuevo género.

The merchant received the new goods yesterday.

Distinguishing 'tela' and 'tejido'

Learners often confuse 'tela' and 'tejido'. While both mean fabric, 'tela' is more common for everyday items like clothing and home decor, whereas 'tejido' can sometimes imply a more technical or specific type of textile construction.

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