Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Bed in Spanish: Cama, Litera, Catre, and More
Cama · noun · KAH-mah
Bed in Spanish is cama, a feminine noun used across the entire Spanish-speaking world. For specific bed types, use litera (bunk bed), catre (cot), or cama matrimonial (double bed).
KAH-mah — two syllables, stress on the first
Los niños ya están en la cama.
The kids are already in bed.
Bed in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for bed, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| cama | bed | KAH-mah | Default, widely understood |
| litera | bed | bunk bed, commonly used in hostels and children's rooms | |
| catre | bed | cot or camp bed, a foldable lightweight frame |
How Native Speakers Use Cama
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Bedtime routine
Me voy a la cama temprano porque mañana trabajo.
I'm going to bed early because I have work tomorrow.
Irse a la cama is the natural phrase for going to bed.
Hotel reservation
Reservamos una habitación con dos camas individuales.
We booked a room with two single beds.
Cama individual is the standard term for a single bed in hotels.
Making the bed
Haz tu cama antes de salir de casa.
Make your bed before leaving the house.
Hacer la cama means to make the bed, a common household instruction.
Hostel travel
Solo quedaban literas en el albergue, así que dormí en la de arriba.
Only bunk beds were left at the hostel, so I slept on the top one.
Litera is essential vocabulary for budget travel and shared rooms.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Cama
Confusing cama with coma
Incorrect: Estoy en coma. (meaning I'm in bed)
Correct: Estoy en cama.
Cama (bed) and coma (coma, the medical state) are one letter apart. Mispronouncing or misspelling can completely change the meaning of your sentence.
Saying cama doble when you mean bunk bed
Incorrect: Los niños duermen en una cama doble. (meaning bunk bed)
Correct: Los niños duermen en una litera.
Cama doble is a double bed (wide, for two people). A bunk bed stacked vertically is a litera.
Lock in Bed Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Cama used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using cama in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Los niños ya están en la cama. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Bed in Spanish
- What is the difference between cama matrimonial and cama doble?
- They often refer to the same thing — a bed for two people. Cama matrimonial (literally marriage bed) is more common in Latin America, while cama doble is widely understood everywhere.
- How do you say bedroom in Spanish?
- Bedroom is dormitorio or habitación. In Latin America, cuarto and recámara (Mexico) are also common. All of them refer to the room where the cama is.
- What does guardar cama mean?
- Guardar cama is an idiomatic expression meaning to stay in bed due to illness. If a doctor tells you to guardar cama, they want you on bed rest.