How to Say "side" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “side” is “lado” — use 'lado' for the most general meanings of 'side,' such as a physical side of an object, a location relative to another, or an aspect of a personality or situation..
lado
/la-doh//ˈla.ðo/
Examples
El supermercado está al otro lado de la calle.
The supermarket is on the other side of the street.
Me duele el lado izquierdo del cuerpo.
The left side of my body hurts.
Escribe tu nombre en un lado del papel.
Write your name on one side of the paper.
Intenta ver el lado positivo de la situación.
Try to see the positive side of the situation.
Always Masculine
'Lado' is always a masculine word, so you'll always say 'el lado' or 'un lado', never 'la' or 'una'.
Using 'Lado' for Clothing
Mistake: “Me gusta esta lada de la camisa.”
Correction: Me gusta este lado de la camisa. Remember, 'lado' is always masculine, even when talking about something that is feminine, like 'la camisa'.
cara
/kah-rah//ˈka.ɾa/
Examples
Me lavo la cara todas las mañanas.
I wash my face every morning.
La moneda tiene dos caras: cara y cruz.
The coin has two sides: heads and tails.
Puso mala cara cuando le conté el problema.
He put on a sour face when I told him the problem.
'Cara' is a Feminine Word
Even though it doesn't end in '-o', 'cara' is a feminine word. So, you always use 'la' or 'una' with it. For example, 'la cara bonita' (the pretty face).
Describing Your Own Face
Mistake: “Incorrect: 'Tengo cara cansada.'”
Correction: Correct: 'Tengo la cara cansada.' When you're describing the state of your own body part, like your face, you usually need to include 'la' (the).
parte
/PAR-teh//ˈpaɾte/
Examples
La primera parte de la película fue un poco lenta.
The first part of the movie was a bit slow.
Quiero una parte del pastel de chocolate.
I want a piece of the chocolate cake.
Esa es mi parte favorita de la canción.
That's my favorite part of the song.
Always Feminine: 'la parte'
Even though it ends in '-e', this word is almost always feminine. Remember to use 'la', 'una', and adjectives that end in '-a'. For example, 'la parte más bonita' (the prettiest part).
Using 'el' instead of 'la'
Mistake: “Me gusta el parte de atrás del coche.”
Correction: Me gusta la parte de atrás del coche. Unless you mean 'official report', always use 'la' with this meaning.
bordo
/BOR-doh//ˈboɾ.ðo/
Examples
Todos los pasajeros están a bordo del avión.
All the passengers are on board the plane.
El capitán miró por encima del bordo del barco.
The captain looked over the side of the boat.
La policía revisó la documentación a bordo del vehículo.
The police checked the documentation inside the vehicle.
The fixed phrase 'a bordo'
When talking about being 'on' a vehicle (ship, plane, train), Spanish uses the fixed phrase 'a bordo' (on board). Even though 'a' usually means 'to,' here it acts like 'on' or 'at'.
Using 'en' instead of 'a'
Mistake: “Estamos en bordo del barco.”
Correction: Estamos a bordo del barco. Always use 'a' with 'bordo' in this context.
ala
/ah-lah//ˈala/
Examples
El entrenador puso al jugador más rápido en el ala izquierda.
The coach put the fastest player on the left wing.
El partido político tiene una ala más conservadora.
The political party has a more conservative flank (or wing).
canto
/KAN-toh//ˈkanto/
Examples
El libro cayó y golpeó el canto de la mesa.
The book fell and hit the edge of the table.
Puso la moneda de canto para hacerla girar.
He put the coin on its edge to spin it.
Edge vs. Corner
Mistake: “Using 'esquina' for the edge of a flat object.”
Correction: 'Esquina' usually means a street corner or the corner where two walls meet. Use 'canto' or 'borde' for the thin side of a book, table, or coin.
bando
/BAHN-doh//ˈbando/
Examples
En la guerra civil, muchas familias se dividieron en bandos opuestos.
During the civil war, many families were divided into opposing sides.
No quiero elegir un bando en esta discusión.
I don't want to choose a side in this argument.
Los caballeros del bando del rey ganaron la batalla.
The knights on the king's side won the battle.
Always Masculine
Even though it ends in 'o', which is standard, remember that 'el bando' is used even if the people in that group are women. It refers to the group itself.
Bando vs. Banda
Mistake: “Using 'bando' to mean a music group.”
Correction: Use 'banda' for a music group or a gang. 'Bando' is strictly for sides in a division or conflict.
aspecto
/as-PEK-toh//asˈpekto/
Examples
El aspecto económico de la crisis es el más preocupante.
The economic aspect of the crisis is the most worrying.
Hemos analizado todos los aspectos del plan de estudios.
We have analyzed all the aspects of the curriculum.
Este es un aspecto que no habíamos considerado antes.
This is one aspect we hadn't considered before.
Using with Prepositions
When discussing a specific view, use the preposition 'bajo' (under): 'Bajo el aspecto legal' (From the legal perspective).
vera
VAY-rahˈbeɾa
Examples
Caminamos por la vera del camino hasta encontrar el pueblo.
We walked along the edge of the road until we found the town.
El picnic fue a la vera del río, bajo un gran árbol.
The picnic was on the bank of the river, under a large tree.
Always Feminine
Remember to always use the feminine article 'la' with 'vera': 'la vera'.
Confusing with 'Verdad'
Mistake: “Using 'vera' when you mean 'truth' (verdad).”
Correction: 'Vera' refers to a physical edge; use 'verdad' for truth.
versión
Examples
Cada testigo dio una versión diferente de lo que pasó.
Each witness gave a different version (account) of what happened.
Lado vs. Cara vs. Parte
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