Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Sweater in Spanish
Suéter · noun · SWEH-tehr
Suéter is the standard Latin American Spanish word for a sweater — a knitted or crocheted garment that covers the torso and arms. In Spain you will almost always hear jersey instead, and travelers to Peru or Ecuador may encounter chompa.
SWEH-tehr
Ponte el suéter antes de salir, que hace frío.
Put on your sweater before going out — it's cold.
Sweater in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for sweater, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| suéter | sweater | SWEH-tehr | Default, widely understood |
| jersey | sweater | Spain | |
| chompa | sweater | Peru/Ecuador | |
| buzo | sweater | Argentina, casual usage |
How Native Speakers Use Suéter
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Getting dressed for cold weather
No encuentro mi suéter azul; ¿lo has visto?
I can't find my blue sweater — have you seen it?
Suéter is masculine: el suéter, un suéter.
Shopping for clothes
Este jersey de lana está rebajado al cincuenta por ciento.
This wool sweater is fifty percent off.
In Spain, jersey is far more common than suéter in everyday speech.
Layering advice
Lleva una chompa ligera por si refresca en la noche.
Bring a light sweater in case it gets cool at night.
Chompa is widely understood in Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia.
Describing an outfit
Mi abuela me tejió un suéter con rayas de colores.
My grandmother knitted me a sweater with colorful stripes.
Tejer means to knit; a hand-knitted sweater may also be called suéter tejido a mano.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Suéter
Wrong gender
Incorrect: La suéter nueva es muy cómoda.
Correct: El suéter nuevo es muy cómodo.
Suéter is masculine (el suéter), so the article and adjectives must agree in masculine form.
False friend with 'sweat'
Incorrect: Necesito un sudor para el invierno.
Correct: Necesito un suéter para el invierno.
Sudor means perspiration/sweat, not the garment. The clothing item is suéter.
Lock in Sweater 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 Suéter used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using suéter in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Ponte el suéter antes de salir, que hace frío. 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 Sweater in Spanish
- Is suéter used in Spain?
- Spaniards understand suéter, but they overwhelmingly prefer jersey in daily conversation. If you're in Madrid or Barcelona, use jersey to sound natural.
- What is the plural of suéter?
- The plural is suéteres. For example: Tengo tres suéteres de lana (I have three wool sweaters).
- What is the difference between suéter and sudadera?
- A suéter is a knitted pullover sweater, while a sudadera is a sweatshirt — typically made of fleece or jersey fabric and often featuring a hood or front pocket.