Spanish word

cortina

Pronunciation

IPA/koɾˈtina/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncurtain

Example

¿Puedes cerrar la cortina?

Can you close the curtain?

Illustration for cortina (curtain)

More examples

La cortina del teatro se abrió al comenzar la obra.

The theater curtain opened when the play began.

Core concept

Fabric panel hung to cover or separate a window, door, or stage.

Common phrases

  • cerrar la cortina

    close the curtain

  • abrir la cortina

    open the curtain

  • cortina de ducha

    shower curtain

Similar words

persiana: Blind built from horizontal or vertical slats that pivot or stack to regulate light and privacy.
estor: Fabric roller blind that raises and lowers on a tube to set how much of the window shows.
visillo: Light, translucent window cloth that lets light through while reducing glare and visibility.

Definition in Spanish

Tela o paño que se coloca en ventanas, puertas o escenarios para cubrir, separar espacios y regular la entrada de luz y la vista.

Word origin

From medieval Latin cortina, adopted into the Romance languages as the term for a cloth used to cover windows, doors, or stages.

Usage tips

  • Commonly used with abrir/cerrar la cortina (or cerrar las cortinas for drapes), contrasted with telón for a theatrical curtain, and appears in the idiom cortina de humo for a 'smokescreen'.

Other meanings

  • drapenoun

Related words

  • cortinajedraperynoun
  • cortinillasmall curtainnoun

Word lists with this word