Inklingo

How to Say "letter" in Spanish

English → Spanish

carta

/KAR-tah//ˈkaɾta/

nounA1general
Use 'carta' when referring to a written message that you send to someone, typically through postal service.
A hand dropping a sealed white envelope with a colorful stamp into the slot of a bright red, traditional mailbox.

Examples

Escribo una carta para mi abuela.

I'm writing a letter to my grandmother.

¿Has recibido alguna carta hoy?

Have you received any mail today?

Envió la solicitud por carta certificada para estar seguro.

He sent the application by registered letter to be sure.

Always Feminine

No matter what kind of 'carta' you're talking about, it's always a feminine word. So, you'll always say 'la carta' or 'una carta'.

'Carta' vs. 'Letra'

Mistake: “Quiero escribir una letra a mi amigo.”

Correction: Quiero escribir una carta a mi amigo. 'Letra' means a letter of the alphabet (like A, B, C), while 'carta' is the message you mail.

letra

LEH-trah/ˈle.tɾa/

nounA1general
Use 'letra' when referring to a single symbol that makes up written words, like a character in the alphabet.
A single, brightly colored, geometric shape floating against a plain background, representing an abstract alphabet symbol.

Examples

La primera letra del abecedario es la 'A'.

The first letter of the alphabet is 'A'.

¿Cuántas letras tiene la palabra 'paraguas'?

How many letters does the word 'umbrella' have?

Escribí mi nombre en letras mayúsculas.

I wrote my name in capital letters.

It's Feminine

Remember that 'letra' is a feminine noun, so you must use 'la letra' or 'una letra'.

Carta vs. Letra Confusion

The most common mistake is using 'carta' when you mean a letter of the alphabet. Remember, 'carta' is for a full written message, while 'letra' refers to individual alphabet characters like 'a', 'b', 'c'.

Related Translations

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