📚 School Supplies - Material escolar

Aa ⏱ ≈ 14 minutes

Beginner Spanish · Classroom supplies

School Supplies in Spanish

School-supply Spanish becomes practical when you can name common materials, explain what you need, borrow something from a classmate, and organize supplies for a project.

Your next small win: name common school supplies, say what you need, ask to borrow an item, ask whether someone has an extra supply, and list materials for a project.

Start with everyday supplies

Core School Supply Vocabulary

These are some of the supplies you are most likely to need during a normal class.

lápiz
Pencil
bolígrafo
Pen
cuaderno
Notebook
libro
Book
mochila
Backpack
regla
Ruler

Name four school supplies

Say “pencil, pen, notebook, and backpack” in Spanish.

More classroom supplies
borrador / goma
Eraser
tijeras
Scissors
papel
Paper
pegamento
Glue
marcador / rotulador
Marker
calculadora
Calculator

Regional vocabulary: borrador and goma can both mean eraser. marcador and rotulador are common regional alternatives for marker.

Say what is missing

Using Necesitar

Use necesitar when talking about the materials you need for class or a project.

Necesito un cuaderno.
I need a notebook.
Necesito un cuaderno nuevo para la clase.
I need a new notebook for class.
Necesitamos papel y pegamento.
We need paper and glue.
No tengo suficiente papel.
I don't have enough paper.
¿Necesitamos una calculadora para la clase?
Do we need a calculator for class?

Pattern: necesito means “I need,” while necesitamos means “we need.”

Say what you need

Say that you need a notebook and that your group needs paper and glue.

Ask a classmate for help

Borrowing with Prestar and Tener

Use ¿Me prestas...? when informally asking a classmate to lend you something. You can also use ¿Tienes...? to ask whether they have what you need.

¿Me prestas un lápiz?
Can you lend me a pencil?
¿Me prestas tu calculadora?
Can you lend me your calculator?
¿Tienes un bolígrafo extra?
Do you have an extra pen?
¿Tienes una hoja de papel?
Do you have a sheet of paper?
¿Puedo usar las tijeras?
Can I use the scissors?

Borrowing a pencil

A
¿Tienes un lápiz extra?
Do you have an extra pencil?
B
Sí, tengo uno en mi estuche.
Yes, I have one in my pencil case.
A
Gracias. Te lo devuelvo después de la clase.
Thanks. I'll give it back to you after class.

Informal classroom Spanish: ¿Me prestas...? uses the informal tú form and works naturally with a classmate or friend.

Borrow two things

Ask a classmate to lend you a pencil, then ask whether they have an extra pen.

Gather materials for a project

Project and Organization Supplies

Projects often require several materials at once. Use ¿Qué necesitamos...? to ask what the group needs.

¿Qué necesitamos para el proyecto?
What do we need for the project?
Necesitamos papel, tijeras y pegamento.
We need paper, scissors, and glue.
Yo puedo traer las tijeras.
I can bring the scissors.
Yo puedo traer el pegamento.
I can bring the glue.
¿En qué carpeta guardo estos papeles?
Which folder do I put these papers in?

Preparing for a project

A
¿Qué necesitamos para el proyecto?
What do we need for the project?
B
Necesitamos papel, tijeras, pegamento y varios marcadores.
We need paper, scissors, glue, and several markers.
A
Perfecto. Yo puedo traer las tijeras y el pegamento.
Perfect. I can bring the scissors and glue.

Plan the project

Ask what the group needs, then say that you can bring the scissors and glue.

Organization and study supplies
carpeta
Folder
archivador
Binder
resaltador
Highlighter
nota adhesiva
Sticky note
estuche
Pencil case

Lesson boundary: this lesson focuses on using, borrowing, and organizing classroom supplies. Buying school supplies appears only as a secondary task in the bookstore lesson.

Your turn · 8 quick questions

Practice: School Supplies

Choose the answer that best fits each situation. Focus on supplies, borrowing, asking what someone has, and gathering materials for class.

Audio uses your device's Spanish text-to-speech voice. Listen to each phrase, then practice saying what you need, borrowing supplies, and planning materials for a project.