Whether you're shopping in a market in Mexico, giving a compliment in Colombia, or simply describing what you're wearing, knowing the words for jewelry and accessories is incredibly useful. This vocabulary list will help you navigate these common situations with confidence. You'll be able to ask for prices, describe items, and understand what others are saying about their favorite personal items. Many of these words are easy to remember because they are cognates, like 'accesorio' (accessory) or 'diamante' (diamond). Pay close attention to the gender of each noun (el/la), as this is crucial for forming correct sentences. For example, you'd say 'el anillo de oro' (the gold ring) but 'la pulsera de plata' (the silver bracelet). This list focuses on common Latin American Spanish. For instance, you'll learn 'aretes' for earrings, which is used throughout Latin America, instead of 'pendientes', which is more common in Spain. Similarly, we'll use 'lentes de sol' for sunglasses, the preferred term in many Latin American countries over Spain's 'gafas de sol'. Having these key terms down will make your conversations sound much more natural.
jewelry
Mi abuela guarda sus joyas en una caja especial. — My grandmother keeps her jewelry in a special box.
accessories
Un buen reloj es mi accesorio favorito. — A good watch is my favorite accessory.
jewelry store (or jewelry)
Compramos el anillo de compromiso en una joyería del centro. — We bought the engagement ring at a jewelry store downtown.
necklace
Ese collar de perlas es muy elegante. — That pearl necklace is very elegant.
chain
Perdí la cadena de plata que me regalaste. — I lost the silver chain you gave me.
earrings
¡Qué bonitos aretes! ¿Son nuevos? En España es más común decir 'pendientes'. — What beautiful earrings! Are they new? In Spain it's more common to say 'pendientes'.
ring
Lleva un anillo muy brillante en su dedo. — She is wearing a very shiny ring on her finger.
bracelet
Hago pulseras de hilo para vender en la playa. — I make thread bracelets to sell on the beach.
watch
Mi papá siempre usa el mismo reloj. — My dad always wears the same watch.
purse, handbag (can also mean wallet)
No encuentro mi celular, creo que está en mi cartera. — I can't find my phone, I think it's in my purse.
wallet
¡Ay, no! Dejé la billetera en el carro. — Oh, no! I left my wallet in the car.
sunglasses
Hace mucho sol, no salgas sin tus lentes de sol. En España se dice 'gafas de sol'. — It's very sunny, don't go out without your sunglasses. In Spain they say 'gafas de sol'.
belt
Este pantalón me queda grande, necesito un cinturón. — These pants are too big for me, I need a belt.
cap (baseball cap)
Siempre me pongo una gorra para ir al estadio. — I always wear a cap to go to the stadium.
hat (with a brim)
Para protegerte del sol en la playa, es mejor usar un sombrero. — To protect yourself from the sun at the beach, it's better to wear a hat.
scarf (for warmth)
Hace frío, no te olvides de la bufanda y los guantes. — It's cold, don't forget your scarf and gloves.
handkerchief, light scarf
Se puso un pañuelo de seda en el cuello. — She put a silk scarf around her neck.
gloves
Necesito comprar unos guantes de cuero para el invierno. — I need to buy some leather gloves for the winter.
gold
Este anillo es de oro de 14 quilates. — This ring is 14-karat gold.
silver
Prefiero las joyas de plata porque son más baratas que las de oro. — I prefer silver jewelry because it's cheaper than gold.
pearl
Mi mamá tiene un collar de perlas auténticas. — My mom has a real pearl necklace.
diamond
Los diamantes son muy caros pero muy bonitos. — Diamonds are very expensive but very beautiful.
leather (made of leather)
Tengo una chaqueta de cuero que me encanta. — I have a leather jacket that I love.
shiny, brilliant
Limpié mis aretes de plata y ahora están muy brillantes. — I cleaned my silver earrings and now they are very shiny.
elegant
Ese reloj se ve muy elegante con tu traje. — That watch looks very elegant with your suit.