Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Sticker in Spanish: Pegatina & Calcomanía
Pegatina · noun (feminine) · peh-gah-TEE-nah
Sticker in Spanish is pegatina in Spain and calcomanía in most of Latin America. The English loanword sticker is also commonly used, especially for digital messaging stickers and brand usage. Etiqueta adhesiva is the formal term for labels and price stickers.
peh-gah-TEE-nah (pegatina) — four syllables, stress on the third. kahl-koh-mah-NEE-ah (calcomanía) — five syllables, stress on the fourth.
Mi hija puso pegatinas en toda su libreta.
My daughter put stickers all over her notebook.
Sticker in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for sticker, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| pegatina | sticker | peh-gah-TEE-nah | Default, widely understood |
| calcomanía | sticker | Latin America | |
| sticker | sticker | loanword, common in informal use | |
| etiqueta adhesiva | sticker | formal: adhesive label |
How Native Speakers Use Pegatina
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Spain usage
Los niños coleccionan pegatinas del álbum de fútbol.
The kids collect stickers from the soccer album.
Pegatina is the everyday term in Spain for any adhesive sticker.
Latin America usage
Compré calcomanías para decorar mi laptop.
I bought stickers to decorate my laptop.
Calcomanía is standard in Mexico, Colombia, and most of Latin America.
Digital stickers
Te mandé un sticker gracioso por WhatsApp.
I sent you a funny sticker on WhatsApp.
For digital messaging stickers, the English word sticker is commonly used across all regions.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Pegatina
Using pegatina in Latin America
Incorrect: Ponle una pegatina. (in Mexico)
Correct: Ponle una calcomanía / un sticker.
Pegatina is specifically a Spanish (Spain) term. In Latin America it sounds foreign. Use calcomanía or the loanword sticker instead.
Confusing calcomanía with calcomania (no accent)
Incorrect: Compré calcomania nuevas.
Correct: Compré calcomanías nuevas.
The accent on the í is required: calcomanía (cal-co-ma-NÍ-a). Without it, the stress shifts incorrectly.
Lock in Sticker 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 Pegatina used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using pegatina in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Mi hija puso pegatinas en toda su libreta. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Sticker in Spanish
- How do you say sticker in Spanish?
- In Spain: pegatina. In Latin America: calcomanía. The English word sticker is also widely used in informal contexts across all regions.
- What is the difference between pegatina and calcomanía?
- They mean the same thing — an adhesive image or label. Pegatina is Spanish (Spain) vocabulary; calcomanía is Latin American. Both are understood everywhere.
- How do you say bumper sticker in Spanish?
- Bumper sticker is pegatina para el coche (Spain) or calcomanía para el carro/auto (Latin America). Some regions also say adhesivo para el parachoques.