Inklingo

How to Say "sheets" in Spanish

English → Spanish

sábanas

nounA1general
Use 'sábanas' when referring to the fabric coverings for a bed.

Examples

Necesito comprar sábanas nuevas para la cama grande.

I need to buy new sheets for the big bed.

hojas

OH-has/ˈo.xas/

nounA1general
Use 'hojas' when referring to individual sheets of paper, like those used for writing or printing.
A clean stack of several white, rectangular sheets of blank paper resting on a surface.

Examples

Por favor, dame dos hojas en blanco.

Please, give me two blank sheets of paper.

Tengo que leer estas diez hojas antes de la clase.

I have to read these ten pages before class.

Counting Paper

When counting paper, use 'hojas'. If you mean the numbered side of a book, you can also use 'páginas', but 'hojas' is always correct for pieces of paper.

placas

/PLAH-kas//ˈplakas/

nounB1general
Use 'placas' for flat, rigid sheets of materials such as glass, metal, or stone, often used in construction or as decorative elements.
A polished, rectangular bronze plaque is mounted on a stone wall. The plaque features a raised, stylized design of a laurel wreath, representing a memorial or decorative sign.

Examples

Colocaron unas placas de mármol en la pared del edificio.

They placed marble plaques on the wall of the building.

El dentista dijo que tengo que cepillarme mejor para quitar las placas.

The dentist said I have to brush better to remove the plaque (deposits).

Dental or Solar

The meaning of 'placas' depends entirely on context. Are you talking about teeth ('placas dentales') or energy ('placas solares')?

Bedding vs. Paper

The most common mistake is confusing 'sábanas' (bedding) with 'hojas' (paper). Remember that 'sábanas' always refers to bed linen, while 'hojas' refers to paper. Never use 'sábanas' for paper!

Related Translations

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