How To Say ‘Socks’ in Spanish With 4 Regional Variations

As you work on broadening your vocabulary, you’ll find it useful to explore how everyday items, like socks, can have different translations depending on the region. Learning these variations is key to speaking accurately in daily conversations.

But knowing what’s in your cajón de calcetines (sock drawer) is more than just learning important Spanish words; it’s a window to cultural understanding. Los calcetines, las medias, and other ways to translate “socks” in Spanish offer insights into history and culture. With Rosetta Stone Live Lessons, you can learn new vocabulary like calcetines through a cultural lens, making a lasting connection with words and culture.

Table of Contents

• Los calcetines 
• Las medias 
• Specific types of socks in Spanish 
• Common sock materials in Spanish 
• Frequently asked questions about ‘socks’ in Spanish

Los calcetines 

When you’re in Spain, you’ll use the word los calcetines for “socks.” Spaniards have an interesting history with this piece of clothing. In 16th-century Spain, wealth was commonly displayed through everyday objects, whether big or small. Los calcetines (socks) were no exception, showcasing elaborate embroidery and fine materials like silk on the feet of noblemen. During that time, socks held the same importance as watches and purses do today. 

Even though socks no longer symbolize that level of wealth in today’s society, knowing how to talk about them remains practical, especially when you’re shopping or describing the all-too-often occurrence of losing a sock.

Here are some examples of how the Spanish noun calcetín is used in context: 

• ¿Estos calcetines vienen en diferentes colores? = Do these socks come in different colors?
• ¡Mi lavadora se comió otro calcetín! = My washing machine ate another sock!
• Los calcetines huelen mal. = The socks smell bad. 
• Lavo mis calcetines. = I am washing my socks. 

Las medias 

While your go-to translation for “socks” in Spain is los calcetines, the word las medias is used in much of Latin America. When describing las medias, such as their color, you’ll want to keep Spanish gender rules in mind to make sure your adjectives agree in gender and number.

For example: 

• Mis medias son rojas. = My socks are red. 
• No puedo encontrar mis medias negras. = I can’t find my black socks. 

Specific types of socks in Spanish 

There are a variety of terms for socks in Spanish and knowing them can help you understand how they’re referred to in Spanish-speaking countries.

Las calcetas 

While it’s always been a controversial topic in the US, uniformes escolares (school uniforms) are deeply ingrained in the educational systems of many Latin American countries. Girls often wear skirts with knee-high socks, commonly known as calcetas. 

Here’s how to talk about this specific type of sock in Spanish: 

• Necesito un par de calcetas nuevas para la escuela. = I need a new pair of knee-high socks for school.
• Se puso las calcetas y zapatos y salió para la escuela. = She put on her socks and shoes and left for school. 

Los soquetes

Similar to ”hat” in Spanish, “socks” has a variety of different translations depending on the region. For instance, los soquetes is primarily used in Argentina, Paraguay, and other countries in the Southern Cone, specifically for ankle-length or no-show socks.

Want to ask about soquetes? Here are some Spanish questions you can use:

• ¿Dónde están mis soquetes blancos? = Where are my white ankle socks?
• ¿Tenés soquetes de algodón? = Do you have cotton ankle socks? 

The second example uses voseo, which refers to the use of the pronoun vos instead of tú for the informal singular “you,” commonly used in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. 

Common sock materials in Spanish 

As you’re shopping for socks, you’ll find the typical socks made of algodón (cotton) and poliéster (polyester) no matter where you are. In some Spanish-speaking countries like Bolivia and Peru, however, you’ll discover a unique sock that’s both soft, durable, and commonly made by hand. These socks, made of lana de alpaca (alpaca wool), are natural and undyed, showcasing an impressive range of hues that reflect the alpaca’s natural color palette of up to 22 shades.

Here’s a chart to help you talk about different sock materials in Spanish: 

Spanish	English
el algodón	cotton
el bambú	bamboo
el cachemir	cashmere
el elastano	spandex
la lana	wool
la lana de alpaca	alpaca wool
la lana merino	merino wool
el nailon	nylon
el poliéster	polyester
la seda	silk

To talk about what your socks are made of in Spanish, you’ll find the preposition de useful. 

• Solo uso calcetines de algodón. = I only wear cotton socks.
• Estas medias son de lana merino. = These socks are made of merino wool.

Frequently asked questions about ‘socks’ in Spanish

Be prepared for any conversation about socks by reviewing the term’s various translations and uses. 

What’s the Spanish word for ‘socks?’

How to say “socks” in Spanish depends on where you are and what type of sock you are referring to. The most common general terms are calcetines and medias. 

What’s the difference between medias and calcetines?

In Spain, calcetines refers to socks (ankle-length, crew, etc.), while medias refers to pantyhose or tights. In Latin America, medias is primarily used as the general term for all types of socks. You’ll find some regional variations, such as soquetes for ankle socks in Argentina. While calcetines might still be understood, it’s generally less common in Latin America for everyday socks.

Does spelling ‘S-O-C-K-S’ out loud sound like ‘It is what it is’ in Spanish?

There’s a social media trend claiming that spelling “S-O-C-K-S” out loud sounds like “It is what it is” in Spanish. While there may be a very loose phonetic similarity between the English spelling of the letters and the Spanish phrase Es lo que es (It is what it is), it doesn’t actually represent any Spanish expression. 

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