How to Say "gate" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “gate” is “puerta” — use 'puerta' for a standard door, such as one found in a garden, a city wall, or a general large entrance that functions like a door..
puerta
/PWER-tah//'pweɾ.ta/
Examples
Cierra la puerta del jardín, por favor.
Close the garden gate, please.
Cierra la puerta, por favor.
Close the door, please.
Mi coche tiene cinco puertas.
My car has five doors.
Alguien está llamando a la puerta.
Someone is knocking on the door.
Always Feminine
Like most Spanish nouns ending in '-a', 'puerta' is a feminine word. This means you always use 'la' (the) or 'una' (a) with it. For example, 'la puerta roja' (the red door).
Using the wrong 'the'
Mistake: “El puerta está abierto.”
Correction: La puerta está abierta. Remember that 'puerta' is feminine, so it needs the feminine word 'la' for 'the'.
portal
poor-TAHL/poɾˈtal/
Examples
El portal de la iglesia estaba decorado con flores.
The church gate was decorated with flowers.
Esperamos en el portal hasta que llegó la vecina.
We waited in the lobby until the neighbor arrived.
Es un portal antiguo con mucha historia.
It is an old doorway with a lot of history.
Masculine Noun Rule
Even though many Spanish words ending in -al are adjectives (like 'normal'), 'portal' is a masculine noun, so you always use 'el' (el portal).
Confusing 'puerta' and 'portal'
Related Translations
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