Inklingo

How to Say "wardrobe" in Spanish

English → Spanish

armario

ar-MAH-ree-ohaɾˈma.ɾjo

nounA1general
Use 'armario' for a general piece of furniture where clothes are kept, especially a freestanding one.
A tall, wooden freestanding piece of furniture with two doors, designed for storing clothes, often referred to as a wardrobe.

Examples

Necesito colgar mi vestido en el armario nuevo.

I need to hang my dress in the new wardrobe.

¿Dónde está la llave del armario?

Where is the closet key?

El armario de mi abuela es muy antiguo y huele a naftalina.

My grandmother's wardrobe is very old and smells like mothballs.

Gender Rule

Even though it ends in '-o', 'armario' is a masculine noun. This means you always use 'el' (the) or 'un' (a) before it.

Confusing 'armario' and 'cajón'

Mistake: “Poner la ropa en el cajón (Putting clothes in the drawer) when meaning the whole wardrobe.”

Correction: Use 'armario' for the large piece of furniture, and 'cajón' for a single drawer that slides out.

clóset

nounA1general
Use 'clóset' specifically for a built-in closet or a smaller, often more modern, piece of furniture for hanging clothes.

Examples

Mi clóset está lleno de zapatos.

My closet is full of shoes.

vestuario

ves-TWAH-riobesˈtwa.ɾjo

nounA2general
Use 'vestuario' to refer to a collection of clothing, such as costumes for a play or a celebrity's entire clothing collection.
An illustration of an open wooden wardrobe closet filled with many colorful shirts, pants, and dresses hanging neatly on racks and folded on shelves.

Examples

El vestuario para la obra de teatro es muy colorido.

The costumes (wardrobe) for the play are very colorful.

Necesito actualizar mi vestuario de trabajo.

I need to update my work wardrobe.

Ella tiene un vestuario increíblemente elegante.

She has an incredibly elegant collection of clothes.

Always Masculine

Even though 'ropa' (clothing) is feminine, 'vestuario' is always masculine, so you must use 'el' or 'un' with it.

Armario vs. Clóset

The most common mistake is using 'armario' and 'clóset' interchangeably without considering the type of furniture. While both refer to clothing storage, 'armario' is more general, and 'clóset' often implies a built-in space.

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