How To Say Shoe in Spanish

After reading this blog post, you will have learned the following:

One common error that I hear English speakers make when speaking Spanish is to refer to all “calzado” (footwear) as “zapatos” (shoes). In English, we have different names for different types of footwear — and so does Spanish.

The phrase “me puse los zapatos” is correct if you want to say “I put on my shoes.” But if you want to say “I put on my sneakers, sandals, boots, house slippers, flip-flops, high-heel shoes, etc.” that phrase is inaccurate at best.

If you do not already know the following Spanish words, it would be a good idea to memorize the following:

How To Say Shoe In Spanish

Zapato – shoe

How To Say Sneaker or Tennis Shoe In Spanish

Tenis – sneaker or tennis shoe

How To Say Sandal In Spanish

Sandalia – sandal

How To Say Boot In Spanish

Bota – boot
Botín – ankle boot

How To Say House Slipper In Spanish

Pantufla – house slipper

“Pantuflas” are the type of comfortable house slippers that have lots of cushion.  In Spain, they use the word “zapatilla” instead of “pantufla.” But in Mexico and Colombia and most Latin American countries the word “pantufla” is used.

How To Say High-heel Shoe In Spanish

Tacón – high heel shoe

How To Say Skate In Spanish

Patín – skate

How To Say Flip-Flops In Spanish

Chancleta – flip-flop
Chancla – flip-flop

“Chancletas” is a word that I have heard “dominicanos” (Dominicans) use in “Nueva York” (New York City) for flip-flops. And “chanclas” is the word that I have heard used in Colombia for flip-flops.

Informal Spanish Vocabulary Word

Here’s an informal Spanish word that you may hear in Latin America:

Aporrear – golpear a una persona o una cosa (to beat up, hit repeatedly and severely)

El ladrón lo aporreó y le sacó todo lo que tenía. (The robber beat-him up and took everything he had.)

This verb “apporear” is informal in the same sense that the English verb “beat-up” is also informal. If you were having a very formal conversation or making a formal speech in English, you’d probably use the words “attack” or “assault” instead of “beat-up.” And in Spanish, if speaking formally, you will use the verbs “atacar” (to attack) and “asaltar” (to assault) instead of “aporrear.”