Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Sandals in Spanish: Sandalias and Chanclas
Sandalias · noun (feminine, plural) · sahn-DAH-lyahs
Sandals in Spanish are sandalias, used in the plural for a pair. Flip-flops specifically are chanclas, with regional names like ojotas, chancletas, and hawaianas.
Sandalias is sahn-DAH-lyahs.
Me compré unas sandalias para el verano.
I bought some sandals for the summer.
Sandals in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for sandals, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| sandalias | sandals | sahn-DAH-lyahs | Default, widely understood |
| chanclas | sandals | flip-flops (Mexico, Spain) | |
| ojotas | sandals | flip-flops (Argentina, Peru) |
How Native Speakers Use Sandalias
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Shopping
Me compré unas sandalias para el verano.
I bought some sandals for the summer.
Unas sandalias is a pair of sandals.
Dress code
No puedes entrar al restaurante con chanclas.
You can't enter the restaurant in flip-flops.
Chanclas are casual flip-flops.
Comfort
Estas sandalias son muy cómodas para caminar.
These sandals are very comfortable for walking.
Describing footwear comfort.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Sandalias
Using the singular for a pair
Incorrect: Me puse una sandalia para salir.
Correct: Me puse unas sandalias para salir.
Like shoes, sandals come in pairs, so Spanish uses the plural sandalias, since a single sandalia means just one shoe.
Treating sandalias and chanclas as identical
Incorrect: Calling dressy sandals chanclas.
Correct: Use sandalias for dressier styles and chanclas for flip-flops.
Chanclas are casual flip-flops, while sandalias is the broader and often dressier term, so they overlap but are not the same.
Lock in Sandals 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 Sandalias used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using sandalias in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Me compré unas sandalias para el verano. 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 Sandals in Spanish
- How do you say sandals in Spanish?
- Sandals in Spanish are sandalias (sahn-DAH-lyahs), used in the plural for a pair, while flip-flops specifically are chanclas.
- What are flip-flops called across regions?
- Common words include chanclas (Mexico, Spain), ojotas (Argentina, Peru), chancletas (Caribbean), and hawaianas, while sandalias stays the general term.
- Is sandalia masculine or feminine?
- It is feminine: la sandalia and las sandalias, taking una and unas.