Inklingo

How to Say "laundry" in Spanish

English → Spanish

colada

ko-LAH-dahkoˈlaða

nounA2general
Use 'la colada' when referring to the specific load or batch of clothes that you are currently washing or have just washed.
A colorful pile of clean clothes in a wicker basket.

Examples

Tengo que hacer la colada antes de que anochezca.

I have to do the laundry before it gets dark.

La colada está todavía húmeda porque ha llovido.

The wash is still damp because it rained.

Puse una colada de ropa blanca esta mañana.

I put on a load of white laundry this morning.

Using 'Hacer' with Laundry

Unlike English where you 'do' the laundry, in Spanish you 'hacer' (make/do) the colada. It refers to the entire process of washing a batch of clothes.

Singular vs. Plural

Even if you have fifty shirts to wash, 'la colada' remains singular because it refers to the single 'event' or 'batch' of washing.

Laundry vs. Laundromat

Mistake: “Voy a la colada.”

Correction: Voy a la lavandería.

lavandería

nounA2general
Use 'la lavandería' to refer to the clothes you need to pick up from a dry cleaner or a laundromat, or sometimes the place itself.

Examples

Tengo que recoger mi lavandería antes de que cierren.

I have to pick up my laundry before they close.

ropa

ROH-pah'ro.pa

nounA1general
Use 'ropa' when generally talking about clothes, including the context of needing to wash or buy them, but not specifically the load of washing.
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'.

Colada vs. Lavandería

Learners often confuse 'colada' and 'lavandería' because both relate to washing clothes. Remember that 'colada' is the load of clothes being washed, while 'lavandería' usually refers to clothes waiting to be picked up from a service or the service itself.

Related Translations

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