Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Suit in Spanish: Traje, Demanda & More
Traje · noun (masculine) · TRAH-heh
Suit in Spanish is traje when referring to a set of matching clothes, like a business suit or a costume. The word extends to traje de baño (swimsuit) and traje de noche (evening gown). For a lawsuit, Spanish uses demanda, and for a suit of cards, the word is palo.
Traje has two syllables: TRAH-heh. The j sounds like a soft h in English, and the final e is a short, open eh. The tr combination is not retroflex as in English; the tongue taps the ridge behind the teeth.
Se compró un traje nuevo para la boda.
He bought a new suit for the wedding.
Suit in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for suit, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| traje | suit | TRAH-heh | Default, widely understood |
| traje de baño | suit | swimsuit | |
| demanda | suit | lawsuit | |
| palo | suit | suit of cards in a deck |
How Native Speakers Use Traje
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Business or formal suit
Todos los abogados llevaban traje y corbata en la audiencia.
All the lawyers wore suits and ties at the hearing.
Traje y corbata (suit and tie) is a fixed phrase for formal business attire.
Swimsuit
No olvides meter el traje de baño en la maleta.
Don't forget to pack the swimsuit in the suitcase.
Traje de baño is universal across Spanish-speaking countries. In some regions, bañador (Spain) or malla (Argentina) are alternatives.
Lawsuit
Le pusieron una demanda por incumplimiento de contrato.
They filed a lawsuit against him for breach of contract.
Demanda is the correct term for lawsuit. Poner una demanda means to file a suit.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Traje
Using traje for lawsuit
Incorrect: Le van a poner un traje por fraude.
Correct: Le van a poner una demanda por fraude.
Traje only covers the clothing meaning of suit. A lawsuit is demanda. Saying traje in a legal context would confuse listeners into thinking you are talking about an outfit.
Forgetting that traje is also the yo past tense of traer
Incorrect: Yo traje mi traje. (confusing but grammatically correct)
Correct: Traje mi traje a la oficina.
Traje is both a noun (suit) and the first-person preterite of traer (I brought). The sentence yo traje mi traje (I brought my suit) is grammatically correct but can sound odd. Adding context like a la oficina helps.
Lock in Suit 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 Traje used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using traje in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Se compró un traje nuevo para la boda. 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 Suit in Spanish
- How do you say suit in Spanish?
- A suit (clothing) in Spanish is traje. A swimsuit is traje de baño. A lawsuit is demanda, and a suit of cards is palo. The word traje only covers the clothing sense of the English word suit.
- What is the difference between traje and vestido?
- Traje refers to a matching set of clothes, typically a jacket and pants or a costume. Vestido means a dress, a one-piece garment. A man wears un traje (a suit); a woman might wear un vestido (a dress) or un traje de pantalón (a pantsuit).
- How do you say swimsuit in Spanish?
- Swimsuit is traje de baño across most of Latin America. In Spain, bañador is more common. In Argentina, you will hear malla. In Colombia, vestido de baño is another option. All refer to the same garment.