playa

beach

noun PLAH-yah Less Common

Usage Note

Playa is straightforward in meaning but note the ll pronunciation: in SESEO Spanish (most of Latin America and southern Spain) ll sounds like 'y', giving 'PLAH-yah'. In some regions of Spain ll is pronounced differently. The compound playa de estacionamiento is the Latin American term for 'parking lot' — a sense that surprises learners expecting aparcamiento (Spain).

Examples

"Pasamos el verano en la playa."

Natural Translation

We spent the summer at the beach.

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