mapa

map

noun MAH-pah Less Common

Origin: From Medieval Latin mappa mundi (cloth of the world), from mappa (cloth, napkin).

Usage Note

Mapa is a notable exception: despite ending in -a, it is masculine — el mapa, not la mapa. This trips up learners expecting all -a words to be feminine. The diminutive mapita is used affectionately for a small or simple map. The compound mapa de carreteras means road map.

Examples

"Necesitamos un mapa para orientarnos en la ciudad."

Natural Translation

We need a map to find our way around the city.

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