Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Sheets in Spanish: Sábanas
Sábanas · noun · SAH-bah-nahs
Sábanas is the Spanish word for bed sheets, one of the most searched household terms by English speakers learning Spanish. For sheets of paper, the word is hojas, and for thin sheets of metal or material, láminas is used. Context determines which word fits, since English uses sheets for all three meanings.
Say SAH-bah-nahs, with the stress on the first syllable. Sábana is an esdrújula word (stressed on the third-to-last syllable), which is why it carries a written accent.
Cambié las sábanas de la cama esta mañana.
I changed the bed sheets this morning.
Sheets in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for sheets, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| sábanas | sheets | SAH-bah-nahs | Default, widely understood |
| hojas | sheets | sheets of paper | |
| láminas | sheets | thin sheets of metal or material |
How Native Speakers Use Sábanas
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Changing bed linens
Las sábanas limpias huelen a lavanda porque usé suavizante nuevo.
The clean sheets smell like lavender because I used new fabric softener.
Sábanas refers specifically to the fabric sheets on a bed.
Sheets of paper
Necesito tres hojas de papel para imprimir el informe.
I need three sheets of paper to print the report.
Hoja is the correct word for a sheet of paper — never sábana.
Metal sheeting
El techo está cubierto con láminas de aluminio.
The roof is covered with sheets of aluminum.
Lámina is used for thin, flat sheets of metal, plastic, or other industrial materials.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Sábanas
Using sábana for paper
Incorrect: Dame una sábana de papel.
Correct: Dame una hoja de papel.
Sábana is exclusively for bed sheets. Asking for a sábana de papel would be like asking for a bedsheet made of paper, which sounds absurd.
Confusing sábana with sabana
Incorrect: Dormí en la sabana toda la noche. (meaning savanna)
Correct: Dormí en la sábana toda la noche. (meaning bedsheet)
Without the accent, sabana means savanna (a grassy plain). With the accent on the first a, sábana means bedsheet. The accent changes the meaning entirely.
Lock in Sheets 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 Sábanas used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using sábanas in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Cambié las sábanas de la cama esta mañana. 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 Sheets in Spanish
- How do you say sheets in Spanish?
- For bed sheets, the word is sábanas (with an accent on the first a). For sheets of paper, use hojas. For thin sheets of metal or material, the term is láminas. Each type of sheet has its own dedicated word.
- What is the difference between sábana and sabana?
- Sábana (accented) means bedsheet, while sabana (no accent) means savanna or grassland. The written accent shifts the stress to the first syllable, completely changing the word's meaning and pronunciation.
- How do you say fitted sheet and flat sheet in Spanish?
- A fitted sheet is sábana ajustable or sábana de cajón, and a flat sheet is sábana encimera or simply sábana. In Latin America, you may also hear sábana bajera for the bottom fitted sheet and sábana de arriba for the top flat sheet.