How do you say card in Spanish?

The answer depends on the type of card. Tarjeta covers credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, and greeting cards. Carta and naipe mean playing card. Carné (or carnet) is an ID or membership card.

What is the difference between carta and tarjeta?

Tarjeta is a flat, typically plastic or cardstock item — credit cards, business cards, greeting cards. Carta primarily means letter (mail) and, in gaming contexts, playing card. They are never interchangeable for payment or identification.

How do I say business card in Spanish?

A business card is tarjeta de presentación in most of Latin America or tarjeta de visita in Spain. Both are widely understood, but regional preference varies.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Card in Spanish: Tarjeta, Carta, Naipe & Carné

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Tarjeta · noun (feminine) · tahr-HEH-tah

Card in Spanish depends entirely on what kind of card you mean. Tarjeta is the most common — credit cards (tarjeta de crédito), gift cards (tarjeta de regalo), and greeting cards (tarjeta de felicitación). Carta means playing card (also letter). Naipe is a synonym for playing card used in game contexts. Carné (or carnet) refers to an ID or membership card.

tahr-HEH-tah (tarjeta) · KAHR-tah (carta) · NAH-ee-peh (naipe) · kahr-NEH (carné)

¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?

Can I pay with a card?

Card in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for card, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
tarjeta	card	tahr-HEH-tah	Default, widely understood
carta	card		playing card or letter
naipe	card		playing card, especially in card-game contexts
carné	card		ID card, membership card (also spelled carnet)

How Native Speakers Use Tarjeta

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Paying with a credit card

La tienda no acepta efectivo, solo tarjeta de crédito o débito.

The store doesn't accept cash, only credit or debit cards.

Tarjeta de crédito and tarjeta de débito are the standard terms for payment cards everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world.

Playing cards with friends

Repartí las cartas y empezamos a jugar póker.

I dealt the cards and we started playing poker.

Carta is the standard word for a playing card in most countries. Naipe is a synonym common in Spain and the Southern Cone.

Showing an ID card

Tienes que llevar el carné de estudiante para entrar a la biblioteca.

You need to bring your student ID card to enter the library.

Carné (or carnet) is used for official identification and membership cards — student IDs, gym cards, press passes.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Tarjeta

Using carta for a credit card

Incorrect: ¿Aceptan carta de crédito?

Correct: ¿Aceptan tarjeta de crédito?

Carta means letter or playing card, never a payment card. Tarjeta is the only correct word for credit, debit, gift, and greeting cards.

Saying carda instead of tarjeta

Incorrect: Dame la carda de regalo.

Correct: Dame la tarjeta de regalo.

Carda is not a Spanish word for card — it means to card (as in carding wool). The English word card does not translate directly by sound; you need tarjeta.

Lock in Card 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 Tarjeta used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using tarjeta in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? 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 Card in Spanish

How do you say card in Spanish?: The answer depends on the type of card. Tarjeta covers credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, and greeting cards. Carta and naipe mean playing card. Carné (or carnet) is an ID or membership card.
What is the difference between carta and tarjeta?: Tarjeta is a flat, typically plastic or cardstock item — credit cards, business cards, greeting cards. Carta primarily means letter (mail) and, in gaming contexts, playing card. They are never interchangeable for payment or identification.
How do I say business card in Spanish?: A business card is tarjeta de presentación in most of Latin America or tarjeta de visita in Spain. Both are widely understood, but regional preference varies.