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maleta

suitcase

noun mah-LEH-tah Rare

Usage Note

Maleta is the standard word for a travel suitcase throughout the Spanish-speaking world. In Spain, maleta can also be used informally to describe a clumsy or inept person. The diminutive maletín refers specifically to a small briefcase or doctor's bag. Pack carefully — hacer la maleta (to pack one's suitcase) is the idiomatic verb phrase.

Examples

"Dejé la maleta en el hotel."

Natural Translation

I left the suitcase at the hotel.

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