Spanish word

placa

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈplaka/

Meaning

  • feminine nounlicense plate

Example

¿Cuál es la placa de tu coche?

What is your car's license plate?

Illustration for placa (license plate)

More examples

La placa trasera está sucia y no se ve.

The rear license plate is dirty and cannot be seen.

Core concept

Small flat plate bearing an inscription or identifying number.

Common phrases

  • placa delantera

    front license plate

  • placa trasera

    rear license plate

  • cambiar la placa

    change the license plate

Similar words

matrícula: Official plate issued for cars and motorcycles displaying the vehicle's registration number.
patente: Registration number assigned by a country or region to uniquely identify a vehicle.
chapa: Everyday informal plate on vehicles showing the registration number.

Definition in Spanish

Pieza plana que lleva una inscripción, número o distintivo y se utiliza para identificar objetos, vehículos o personas.

Word origin

From French plaque via Italian placca, tracing back to an old Germanic word for a flat board, so placa denotes a flat piece used to identify objects or people.

Usage tips

  • La placa often refers to different flat identifiers (nameplate, badge, or license plate), so do not assume it always means a car's registration without context.

Other meanings

  • nameplatenoun
  • badgenoun

Word lists with this word