Huevos, doce en una caja.
Eggs, twelve to a box.
Here una caja is the carton eggs are sold in, and doce en una caja tells you how many fit inside.
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "box" in Spanish
la caja
nounfeminineplural: las cajasalso: checkout
"Box" in Spanish is la caja, said KAH-hah with a throaty j. In a store, the same word names the checkout, so a sign that says Caja shows you where to pay. A cardboard box is una caja de cartón.
Hear "caja" in a real movie scene
Eggs, counted by the box. The video starts and stops on that line.
Caja phrases you'll see and hear
Six phrases for moving, shopping and storing things.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| una caja de cartón | a cardboard box |
| una caja de zapatos | a shoebox |
| una caja de galletas | a box of cookies |
| pagar en caja | to pay at the register |
| la caja fuerte | a safe |
| la caja de herramientas | a toolbox |
Tip: Two everyday words grow from caja: el cajón, a drawer, and el cajero automático, an ATM.
Grammar: la caja, las cajas
Four points about a word you use at home and at the store.
Feminine, regular plural
la caja, las cajas. Adjectives agree with it: una caja grande, unas cajas vacías.What's inside: de
Spanish links the box and its contents with de: una caja de vino. English just puts the two nouns side by side.Into the box: en
Pon la compra en una caja. Put the groceries in a box. En la caja also means inside it: En la caja hay una docena.Caja at the store
la caja is also the register where you pay. Pase por caja means go to the checkout.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
La caja está aquí.
The box is here.
¿Dónde está la caja?
Where's the box?
Sí, y una caja de vino.
Yes, and a box of wine.
Tráeme la caja.
Bring me the box.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗el caja
✓la caja
Caja ends in -a and takes la, like most nouns with that ending.
✗KAH-jah (pronunciation)
✓KAH-hah
Breathe the j out from the back of your throat, never like the j in jam.
✗una caja de cartones (a cardboard box)
✓una caja de cartón
Cartón names the material here, so it stays singular.
Practice: 3 quick exercises
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1 of 3 · Watch and choose
What do you hear in the video?
The other 32 exercises on this topic are in the app.
How to remember it
Caja sounds like a laugh, KAH-hah. Picture a jack-in-the-box springing out of la caja with a loud ha-ha.
Questions about "box" in Spanish
How do you say box in Spanish?
La caja. A small box is una cajita, and more than one box is las cajas.
What does caja mean in a store?
La caja is the checkout or cash register, the place where you pay. The person working there is el cajero or la cajera.
Is caja masculine or feminine?
Feminine: la caja. Words that describe it end in -a: una caja pequeña, la caja roja.
How do you say cardboard box in Spanish?
Una caja de cartón. Boxes for moving house are cajas de mudanza.
