Inklingo

How to Say "ladder" in Spanish

English → Spanish

escalera

ehs-kah-LEH-rah/es.kaˈle.ɾa/

nounB1general
Use 'escalera' for the common, portable device you use to climb up to high places, like changing a lightbulb or reaching a high shelf.
A tall, portable wooden ladder resting against a bright blue exterior wall in a garden setting.

Examples

Necesito una escalera para cambiar la bombilla del techo.

I need a ladder to change the light bulb on the ceiling.

El pintor dejó la escalera apoyada en la pared.

The painter left the ladder leaning against the wall.

The Portable Kind

When you mean the portable tool, you can specify 'escalera de mano' (hand ladder) if you need to avoid confusion with fixed stairs, but context usually makes it clear.

False Friend Alert

Mistake: “Thinking 'escalera' means 'escalator.'”

Correction: Use 'escalera mecánica' for an escalator. 'Escalera' alone means stairs or a ladder.

escala

/es-KAH-lah//esˈka.la/

nounB2specific/technical
Use 'escala' for a less common, often fixed or temporary climbing structure, such as a rope ladder on a ship or a fire escape.
A tall, rustic wooden ladder with rungs leaning against a red brick wall.

Examples

El marinero subió por la escala del barco.

The sailor climbed up the ship's ladder/gangway.

Practicamos la escala de do mayor en clase de música.

We practiced the C major scale in music class.

Escala vs. Escalera

While both mean 'ladder' or 'stairs,' 'escalera' is the common word for a staircase or a portable ladder. 'Escala' often refers to a fixed ladder, like on a ship or in technical drawings.

carrera

/kah-RREH-rrah//kaˈreɾa/

nounB2informal/specific
Use 'carrera' specifically in British English to mean a 'run' or snag in stockings or tights, unrelated to climbing devices.
Extreme close-up of a leg wearing a sheer black stocking with a distinct, thin vertical line of unraveling thread, known as a 'run' or 'ladder'.

Examples

¡Qué mala suerte! Se me hizo una carrera en las medias nuevas.

What bad luck! I got a run in my new stockings.

Confusing 'escalera' and 'escala'

Learners often confuse 'escalera' and 'escala'. Remember that 'escalera' is the everyday word for a portable climbing ladder. 'Escala' is less common and usually refers to more specific types, like a ship's ladder or a fire escape.

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