B2 · 50 words
Clothes and what they cost in Spanish
Cut, cloth, origin — and the bill that is not on the label.
English borrowed the same French word twice and put the two copies in different rooms. « Label » and « etiquette » started as one word and now share nothing at all. Spanish kept them together. La etiqueta is the label sewn into a collar — la etiqueta de composición dice el porcentaje — and it is also the whole system of formal manners: traje de etiqueta is black tie, and de etiqueta on an invitation means dress properly. It does the modern job too, the tag on a photograph or a message. The thread runs through all of them: a small note attached to a thing, saying what it is and how it is to be handled.
The words
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Verb (2)
remendarto mendVerbB2
Remendó el bolsillo con hilo del mismo tono.She mended the pocket with thread of the same shade.
desteñirto run, to lose colourVerbB2
La camisa destiñó sobre lo blanco.The shirt ran onto the white things.
Adjective (1)
atemporalnot tied to any seasonAdjectiveB2
Es una prenda atemporal.It is a piece not tied to any season.
Phrase (29)
la fibra sintéticathe man-made fibrePhraseB2
La fibra sintética suelta microplásticos.The man-made fibre sheds microplastics.
la fibra naturalthe natural fibrePhraseB2
La fibra natural respira mejor.The natural fibre breathes better.
la etiqueta de composiciónthe label saying what it is made ofPhraseB2
La etiqueta de composición dice el porcentaje.The label saying what it is made of gives the percentage.
el país de fabricaciónthe country it was made inPhraseB2
El país de fabricación no es el del diseño.The country it was made in is not the one it was designed in.
la trazabilidad de la prendabeing able to trace where it came fromPhraseB2
La trazabilidad de la prenda acaba en el hilo.Being able to trace where it came from stops at the yarn.
el taller de confecciónthe sewing workshopPhraseB2
El taller de confección trabaja por encargo.The sewing workshop works to order.
la moda rápidafast fashionPhraseB2
La moda rápida saca doce colecciones al año.Fast fashion brings out twelve collections a year.
la temporada de modathe fashion seasonPhraseB2
La temporada de moda empieza antes cada año.The fashion season starts earlier every year.
la obsolescencia percibidalooking out of date before it is worn outPhraseB2
La obsolescencia percibida vende más que la real.Looking out of date before it is worn out sells more than real wear.
el consumo compulsivobuying you cannot stopPhraseB2
El consumo compulsivo empieza en el móvil.Buying you cannot stop starts on the telephone.
el armario cápsulathe small wardrobe of things that go togetherPhraseB2
El armario cápsula son treinta prendas.The small wardrobe of things that go together is thirty pieces.
la ropa de segunda manosecond-hand clothesPhraseB2
La ropa de segunda mano dejó de dar vergüenza.Second-hand clothes stopped being embarrassing.
el intercambio de ropathe swapping of clothesPhraseB2
El intercambio de ropa se organiza en el centro cívico.The swapping of clothes is organised at the community centre.
el arreglo de ropathe altering of clothesPhraseB2
El arreglo de ropa cuesta menos que una prenda nueva.The altering of clothes costs less than a new piece.
el botón de repuestothe spare buttonPhraseB2
El botón de repuesto viene cosido dentro.The spare button comes sewn inside.
la talla realthe size it actually isPhraseB2
La talla real no coincide con la etiqueta.The size it actually is does not match the label.
el probador virtualthe on-screen fitting roomPhraseB2
El probador virtual falla con los hombros.The on-screen fitting room gets the shoulders wrong.
la devolución gratuitathe free returnPhraseB2
La devolución gratuita tiene un coste escondido.The free return has a hidden cost.
el sobreprecio de marcawhat the name adds to the pricePhraseB2
El sobreprecio de marca no se ve en la prenda.What the name adds to the price is not visible in the garment.
el consumidor informadothe buyer who has looked things upPhraseB2
El consumidor informado tarda más en comprar.The buyer who has looked things up takes longer to buy.
el derecho del consumidorconsumer lawPhraseB2
El derecho del consumidor cubre dos años.Consumer law covers two years.
la asociación de consumidoresthe consumers' associationPhraseB2
La asociación de consumidores publicó el análisis.The consumers' association published the analysis.
el análisis comparativothe side-by-side testPhraseB2
El análisis comparativo probó veinte modelos.The side-by-side test tried twenty models.
la huella textilwhat clothing costs the planetPhraseB2
La huella textil es sobre todo agua.What clothing costs the planet is mostly water.
el reciclaje textilthe recycling of textilesPhraseB2
El reciclaje textil todavía es minoritario.The recycling of textiles is still the exception.
el contenedor de ropathe clothes bankPhraseB2
El contenedor de ropa está lleno.The clothes bank is full.
el excedente de temporadawhat is left over at the end of a seasonPhraseB2
El excedente de temporada se vende fuera.What is left over at the end of a season is sold abroad.
la venta por liquidaciónthe closing-down salePhraseB2
La venta por liquidación duró una semana.The closing-down sale lasted a week.
la compra reflexivabuying after thinking about itPhraseB2
La compra reflexiva empieza esperando un día.Buying after thinking about it starts by waiting a day.
Noun (f) (7)
la prendathe item of clothingNoun (f)B2
La prenda viene de tres países.The item of clothing comes from three countries.
la costurathe seamNoun (f)B2
La costura se abrió al segundo lavado.The seam came apart at the second wash.
la sedasilkNoun (f)B2
La seda se lava a mano.Silk is washed by hand.
la subcontrataciónthe passing of work down the chainNoun (f)B2
La subcontratación esconde tres niveles.The passing of work down the chain hides three levels.
la colecciónthe collectionNoun (f)B2
La colección dura seis semanas en tienda.The collection lasts six weeks in the shop.
la puntadathe stitchNoun (f)B2
La puntada suelta se ve enseguida.A loose stitch shows at once.
la cremallerathe zipNoun (f)B2
La cremallera se atascó.The zip jammed.
Noun (m) (11)
el cortethe cutNoun (m)B2
El corte es lo que hace caro un abrigo.The cut is what makes a coat expensive.
el dobladillothe hemNoun (m)B2
El dobladillo hay que cogerlo.The hem needs taking up.
el forrothe liningNoun (m)B2
El forro es de otro color.The lining is a different colour.
el tejidothe fabricNoun (m)B2
El tejido pesa poco y abriga.The fabric weighs little and keeps you warm.
el linolinenNoun (m)B2
El lino se arruga y da igual.Linen creases, and it does not matter.
el cueroleatherNoun (m)B2
El cuero dura veinte años bien cuidado.Leather lasts twenty years if looked after.
el mercadillothe street marketNoun (m)B2
El mercadillo es los domingos.The street market is on Sundays.
el estampadothe printed patternNoun (m)B2
El estampado se repite cada veinte centímetros.The printed pattern repeats every twenty centimetres.
el tintethe dyeNoun (m)B2
El tinte destiñe el primer lavado.The dye runs at the first wash.
el encogimientothe shrinkingNoun (m)B2
El encogimiento fue de dos tallas.The shrinking amounted to two sizes.
el tallajethe way a brand sizes thingsNoun (m)B2
El tallaje cambia de una marca a otra.The way a brand sizes things differs from brand to brand.
This list belongs to Food, shopping and errands — 15 lists and 648 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.