Inklingo

How to Say "patch" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “patch” is “parche” — use this word when referring to a piece of material used to mend or cover a hole, especially on clothing or tires.

English → Spanish

parche

par-chehˈpaɾtʃe

nounA2general
Use this word when referring to a piece of material used to mend or cover a hole, especially on clothing or tires.
A colorful patch sewn onto the knee of blue denim jeans.

Examples

Le puse un parche a mi pantalón favorito.

I put a patch on my favorite pants.

El mecánico arregló el pinchazo con un parche.

The mechanic fixed the puncture with a patch.

Tengo que tensar el parche de la batería.

I have to tighten the drumhead of the drum set.

Using 'un' with Parche

Since 'parche' is a masculine noun ending in 'e', you use 'un' or 'el'. Don't let the 'e' ending trick you into thinking it's feminine!

Patching vs. Fixing

Mistake: “Yo parche mi ropa.”

Correction: Yo le pongo un parche a mi ropa.

mancha

MAHN-chahˈmanʧa

nounB1general
Use this word to describe a distinct area or region of color, material, or a stain.
A distinct, irregular patch of bright green color standing out clearly against a dull brown background.

Examples

En el mapa se ve una mancha azul que indica el lago.

On the map, you can see a blue patch that indicates the lake.

El sol creó una mancha de luz muy brillante en la pared.

The sun created a very bright patch of light on the wall.

Patch vs. Stain

Learners often confuse 'parche' and 'mancha'. Remember that 'parche' is specifically for mending or covering a hole, like a literal patch. 'Mancha' refers to a mark, stain, or an area of color.

Related Translations

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