Love-Spanish.com: Carta

Today's WOTD is: "carta" = letter

Image source: Google images

In Spanish, “carta” is a feminine noun of Latin origin, which means letter.

The noun “carta” is also often used to refer to:

The menu in a restaurant.
Each one of the cards in a pack/ deck of playing cards.
A marine navigation chart/ map

Some commonly used expressions with the word “carta” are:

A la carta (a la carte);
Carta abierta (open letter);
Carta administrativa (formal statement letter);
Carta a los Reyes Magos (letter to the three Wise Men*);
Carta astral (astrological chart);
Carta blanca (carte blanche/ complete freedom);
Carta circular (circular letter);
Carta comercial (business letter);
Carta convite (invitation letter- to some celebration);
Carta de aceptación (acceptance letter);
Carta de agradecimiento (thank you letter);
Carta de ajuste (TV test card);
Carta de amor (love letter);
Carta de apoyo (support letter);
Carta de autorización (authorisation letter);
Carta de aviso (notification letter);
Carta de baja voluntaria (resigning letter);
Carta de ciudadanía (citizenship charter);
Carta de ciudadanía (certificate of citizenship);
Carta de condolencia (letter of condolence);
Carta de despedida (farewell letter);
Carta de despido (dismissal letter);
Carta de envío (confirmation of dispatch of goods letter);
Carta de excusa (letter of apologies);
Carta de intención (letter of intent);
Carta de invitación (invitation letter- to support visa application/ immigration);
Carta de marear (nautical chart);
Carta de pago (payment record/ receipt);
Carta de porte (waybill);
Carta de postulación (cover letter);
Carta de presentación (letter of introduction/ cover letter);
Carta de préstamo (loan document/ “IOU”);
Carta de referencia (reference letter);
Carta de reclamo (complaint letter);
Carta de recomendación (reference letter);
Carta de renuncia (letter turning down a job offer);
Carta de renuncia (letter giving notice of leaving employment);
Carta de responsabilidad (letter of acceptance of responsibilities);
Carta de retiro (letter giving notice of leaving employment);
Carta de retiro de servicio (letter giving notice cancelling a service);
Carta de solicitud (application letter/ request letter);
Carta de vecindad (certificate of abode);
Carta de vinos (wine menu);
Carta denuncia (incident reporting letter);
Carta formal (formal letter);
Carta informal (informal letter);
Carta magna (written constitution);
Carta memorando (memorandum letter);
Carta memorandum (memorandum letter);
Carta oficial (official letter- formal letter to a public institution);
Carta ordinaria (ordinary/ non-urgent letter);
Carta pastoral (pastoral letter);
Carta poder (authorisation letter);
Carta urgente (urgent letter);
Cartas credenciales (diplomatic credentials/ letter of credence);
Conocer las cartas a alguien (to know what someone's is up to);
Dirigir una carta a alguien (to address a letter to someone);
Echar las cartas (fortune telling- with cards);
Enseñar las cartas (to lay the cards on the table);
Escribir una carta (to write a letter);
Poner las cartas boca arriba (to lay the cards on the table);
Irse de una buena carta (discard the wrong card/ to make a wrong choice);
Jugar a cartas vistas (to avoid risks/ to try to be in control/ to leave nothing to chance);
Jugarse todo a una carta (to face an all or nothing effort/ decision);
Jugárselo todo a una carta (to face an all or nothing effort/ decision);
No saber a que carta quedarse (to be undecided);
Tomar cartas en el asunto (to do something about it);

*NB Similar to letter sent to Santa.

Some examples of the use of the word "carta" or related words are:

Yo prefiero comer a la carta (I would rather eat 'a la carte');
Enviamos una carta abierta a la prensa (we sent an open letter to the press);
Tenemos carta blanca y podemos hacer lo que queramos (we have complete freedom and can do as we wish);
Cuidado, que te conocen las cartas (be careful, they know what you are up to);
Dirigiste la carta al director de recursos humanos, ¿verdad? (you addressed the letter to the HR Director, didn't you?);
¿Trae mala suerte echar las cartas sin pagar? (is it unlucky to have your fortune told for free?);
Si no tienes nada que ocultar, enseña las cartas (if you have nothing to hide, lay your cards on the table);
Si no tienes nada que ocultar, pon las cartas boca arriba (if you have nothing to hide, lay your cards on the table);
Creo que te has ido de una buena carta y has perdido una gran oportunidad (I think you made the wrong choice and missed out on a great opportunity);
Tratándose de la familia prefiero jugar a cartas vistas (in matters relating to my family I would rather not take risks);
Creo que Pedro sabe que de esta vez se lo está jugando todo a una carta (I think Pedro knows that this time, it is all or nothing);
La verdad es que no sabemos a que carta quedarnos (the truth of the matter is that we don't know what to do);
Si siguen sin pagarnos, voy a tener que tomar cartas en el asunto (if they persist in not paying, I will have to do something about it);

Love-Spanish.com loves the word "carta" in the YouTube clip: Carta a los Reyes Magos

For more on the word "carta", visit: ordreference.com/es/en/ Carta*

*NB 'Click' on the speaker icon next to the word “carta” in the link to hear the word pronounced.

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