Inklingo

How to Say "clothes" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ropa

ROH-pah'ro.pa

NounA1General
Use 'ropa' as the general, everyday term for clothing that you wear on your body.
A colorful pile of various garments, including a folded shirt, a pair of pants, and a sweater, representing the concept of clothes.

Examples

Necesito comprar ropa nueva.

I need to buy new clothes.

Puse toda la ropa sucia en la lavadora.

I put all the dirty laundry in the washing machine.

Esta tienda vende ropa de hombre y de mujer.

This store sells men's and women's clothing.

Always Singular for 'Clothes'

In Spanish, 'ropa' is a special type of noun that means a group of things. Even when you're talking about many shirts, pants, and socks, you almost always use the singular form 'la ropa'. Think of it like 'furniture' or 'information' in English; you wouldn't say 'furnitures'.

Using 'Ropas' for 'Clothes'

Mistake: “Tengo muchas ropas nuevas.”

Correction: Tengo mucha ropa nueva. The plural 'ropas' is very rare and only used to talk about different *types* of clothing collections (like 'ropa de invierno' and 'ropa de verano' are two different 'ropas'). For everyday use, 99% of the time, you should stick with singular 'ropa'.

garras

GAH-rrahsˈɡaras

NounC1Informal/Colloquial
Use 'garras' to refer to clothing in an informal or slightly old-fashioned way, often implying your personal wardrobe.
A pile of folded, worn-out colorful clothes.

Examples

Ponte tus mejores garras para la fiesta.

Put on your best clothes for the party.

trapo

TRAH-pohˈtɾapo

NounB1Informal/Derogatory
Use 'trapo' to refer to clothes informally, sometimes with a slightly negative or dismissive connotation, implying cheap or worn-out items.
A messy pile of various colorful shirts and pants on a bedroom floor.

Examples

Le encanta gastarse el sueldo en trapos.

She loves spending her salary on clothes.

No tengo ningún trapo que ponerme para la fiesta.

I don't have a single thing to wear to the party.

Ese trapo que llevas es muy moderno.

That piece of clothing you're wearing is very trendy.

Plural for Variety

When referring to clothes in general, we almost always use the plural form 'trapos'.

Ropa vs. Trapo/Garras

The most common mistake is using 'trapo' or 'garras' when a neutral, general term is needed. Always default to 'ropa' unless you specifically intend to be informal, slightly derogatory, or refer to your personal 'outfit'.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.