Inklingo

How to Say "coats" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “coats” is “capas” — use 'capas' when referring to general layers of something, like layers of clothing, geological strata, or multiple applications of paint or varnish..

English → Spanish

capas

/KAH-pahs//ˈkapas/

nounA2general
Use 'capas' when referring to general layers of something, like layers of clothing, geological strata, or multiple applications of paint or varnish.
A colorful cake with multiple distinct layers and an onion cut in half showing its rings.

Examples

El pintor aplicó tres capas de pintura blanca.

The painter applied three coats of white paint.

Esta tarta tiene muchas capas de chocolate.

This cake has many layers of chocolate.

En invierno me visto con varias capas de ropa.

In winter, I dress in several layers of clothes.

La pared necesita dos capas de pintura.

The wall needs two coats of paint.

Making it plural

This is the plural form of 'capa.' Since it ends in a vowel, you simply add an '-s' to talk about more than one.

Capas vs. Abrigos

Mistake: “Using 'capas' to mean any heavy winter coat.”

Correction: Use 'capas' for specific layers or actual capes. For a standard heavy coat, use 'abrigo'.

manos

/mah-nohs//ˈmanos/

nounA1specific
Use 'manos' specifically when talking about the layers or applications of paint or varnish applied to a surface.
A pair of human hands, depicted with palms slightly open and facing up.

Examples

Necesitamos dar otra mano de barniz a la mesa.

We need to give the table another coat of varnish.

Lávate las manos antes de comer, por favor.

Wash your hands before eating, please.

Le dimos dos manos de pintura a la pared para que quedara perfecta.

We gave the wall two coats of paint so it would look perfect.

Necesitamos más manos en la granja durante la cosecha.

We need more hands (workers) on the farm during the harvest.

A Tricky Gender: 'la mano', 'las manos'

Even though 'mano' ends in '-o', it's a feminine word. Always use 'la' for one hand and 'las' for two. This is an important exception to remember, like 'la foto' or 'la moto'.

Using 'los' instead of 'las'

Mistake: “Me lavo *los manos*.”

Correction: Me lavo *las manos*. Because 'mano' is feminine, its plural form 'manos' is also feminine. So, you always need to use 'las'.

General vs. Specific Use

The most common mistake is using 'capas' when 'manos' is the more precise term for layers of paint or varnish. While 'capas' can be understood, 'manos' is the idiomatic choice in this specific context.

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