How to Say "membrane" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “membrane” is “membrana” — use 'membrana' for biological or physical thin layers, like cell walls or speaker diaphragms..
membrana
/mem-BRAH-nah//memˈbɾana/
Examples
La membrana celular protege el interior de la célula.
The cell membrane protects the inside of the cell.
Hay una fina membrana que recubre el interior del huevo.
There is a thin membrane covering the inside of the egg.
El buceador tiene dañada la membrana del tímpano.
The diver has a damaged eardrum membrane.
La membrana del altavoz está rota y el sonido es malo.
The speaker diaphragm is broken and the sound is bad.
It's a 'la' word
Even though it ends in 'a', it's helpful to remember it always takes 'la' or 'una' (la membrana). Words that describe it should also end in 'a' (una membrana fina).
Using 'de' for description
To describe what the membrane is for, Spanish usually puts 'de' (of) after it, like 'membrana de plástico' (plastic membrane).
Describing Technology
When talking about tech, we often say 'de membrana' to describe the type of device, like 'un teclado de membrana'.
Membrana vs. Piel
Mistake: “Using 'membrana' for visible outer skin.”
Correction: Use 'piel' for the skin you can see; use 'membrana' for the thin, often internal or specialized layers.
Don't confuse with 'parche'
Mistake: “Saying 'membrana de tambor' when you mean a drumhead.”
Correction: While technically a membrane, musicians usually call the top of a drum a 'parche'.
película
Examples
Una fina película de polvo cubría los muebles.
A thin film of dust covered the furniture.
túnica
Examples
La túnica externa del ojo se llama esclerótica.
The outer layer of the eye is called the sclera.
Membrana vs. Película
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