Quick answer
- The most common words for earrings in Spanish are aretes (Latin America) and pendientes (Spain).
- Aros is common in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile; zarcillos in Venezuela and some other areas.
- Hoops are often aros or argollas; studs are often broqueles or topos, depending on region.
- In Italian, earrings are orecchini.
Ask for earrings in Spanish and the right word depends on where you're standing. In Mexico you'll likely hear aretes, in Madrid pendientes, and in Buenos Aires aros. All of them are correct, and the variety is part of the fun.
Below is a regional guide, a handy vocabulary table in Spanish and Italian (we couldn't resist, given our name), and a few pronunciation tips.
The main words for earrings in Spanish
Usage overlaps a lot, and people across regions will generally understand all of them. These are broad tendencies rather than strict rules.
| Word | Where you'll hear it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| aretes | Mexico, Central America, Peru, Colombia and much of Latin America | A safe all-purpose choice in the Americas |
| pendientes | Spain | Literally hanging things; used for all earrings in Spain |
| aros | Argentina, Uruguay, Chile | Also means hoops or rings more generally |
| zarcillos | Venezuela and some other regions | Can sound traditional in some places |
| caravanas | Uruguay (informal) | A regional colloquialism |
One quirk worth knowing: in Spain, pendientes covers studs and hoops too, even though the word suggests something dangling. In Latin America, pendiente often means a pendant on a necklace instead.
Earring vocabulary in Spanish and Italian
Our site's name, Come i Cavoli a Merenda, is an Italian idiom for something charmingly out of place, like cabbages at snack time. So here's the Italian alongside the Spanish, for curious ears and mismatched vocabularies alike.
| English | Spanish | Italian |
|---|---|---|
| Earrings | aretes / pendientes / aros | orecchini |
| One earring | un arete / un pendiente | un orecchino |
| Stud earrings | broqueles, topos, aretes de botón | orecchini a lobo, punti luce |
| Hoop earrings | aros, argollas, arracadas | orecchini a cerchio |
| Dangle earrings | aretes colgantes | orecchini pendenti |
| Clip-on earrings | aretes de clip / de presión | orecchini a clip |
| Earring back | tuerca, mariposa, cierre | chiusura, farfallina |
| Ear piercing | perforación, piercing | piercing, buco all'orecchio |
| Earlobe | lóbulo de la oreja | lobo dell'orecchio |
| Gold / silver | oro / plata | oro / argento |
Like the Spanish, some of these vary by region and by shop. Punti luce, literally points of light, is a lovely Italian term often used for small sparkly studs.
Grammar notes: plural, gender and articles
Earrings almost always come in pairs, so you'll mostly use the plural. Aretes, pendientes and aros are masculine, so you'd say los aretes and unos pendientes. A single earring is un arete or un pendiente.
Italian follows a similar pattern: gli orecchini for the plural and un orecchino for one. Fun fact: orecchini comes from orecchio, the word for ear, so they're quite literally little ear things.
How to pronounce the key words
Spanish vowels are short and clean, and the stress usually falls on the second-to-last syllable.
- aretes: ah-REH-tes, with a lightly tapped r.
- pendientes: pen-DYEN-tes.
- aros: AH-ros.
- zarcillos: sar-SEE-yos in most of Latin America; thar-THEE-lyos in much of Spain.
- argollas: ar-GOH-yas.
- orecchini (Italian): oh-reck-KEE-nee. The double c is a hard k sound.
Not sure which word to use? In the Americas, aretes is widely understood. In Spain, go with pendientes. Nobody will mind if you mix them up.
Useful phrases for shopping
- ¿Tiene aretes de oro? Do you have gold earrings?
- Busco unos pendientes pequeños. I'm looking for some small earrings.
- ¿Son hipoalergénicos? Are they hypoallergenic?
- ¿Tiene cierres de tornillo? Do you have screw backs?
- Quiero perforarme la oreja. I want to get my ear pierced.
- ¿Me los puedo probar? Can I try them on?
- Vorrei degli orecchini d'oro. (Italian) I'd like some gold earrings.
Hygiene rules for trying on earrings differ by shop, so don't be surprised if a seller offers studs only through packaging or with a disinfected post.
If you're shopping abroad, a little vocabulary about closures and sizes goes a long way. Our guides to types of earring backs and types of earrings will help you describe exactly what you want in any language.
A quick word on regional styles
Earring traditions vary as much as the vocabulary. Large gold arracadas hoops have deep roots in Mexico, while delicate pearl pendientes are a classic in Spain. Wherever you are, the best souvenir might be a pair that reminds you of the place and a new word to go with it.
Language tends to follow fashion, too. Words like piercing and ear cuff are often borrowed straight from English in both Spanish and Italian, especially in shops that sell modern body jewelry. If a local word escapes you, the English term frequently gets you understood.
And if you're tempted by bold hoops like the ones on the book above, check how big they'll really look before you buy. Our earring size tool shows sizes to scale.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say earrings in Spanish?
The most common words are aretes in much of Latin America and pendientes in Spain. Aros and zarcillos are also used regionally.
What is the difference between aretes and pendientes?
Both mean earrings. Aretes is common in Latin America, while pendientes is the usual word in Spain.
How do you say hoop earrings in Spanish?
Hoop earrings are often called aros, argollas or arracadas, depending on the country.
What is the Italian word for earrings?
In Italian, earrings are orecchini (singular orecchino).
