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A Spanish to English Philatelic Glossary

Spanish English Philatelic Glossary

You most definitely do not need to speak a word of Spanish to enjoy collecting Latin American stamps.

But having a grasp of some of the commonly used terms can be very helpful in maximising your understanding and enjoyment, not least when it comes to deciphering the text in Spanish language catalogues.

Online translation tools can certainly be helpful but they don’t always convey the correct meaning in philatelic terms. The language of philately has its own nuances and quirks which online dictionaries and apps can often struggle with.

The glossary below contains most philatelic words and phrases that you are likely to come across. With well over three-hundred entries, you are unlikely to come across a more comprehensive resource.

Colours have their own look up table: there are over one hundred colour combinations. The table can be found by scrolling down to the bottom of the page.

The glossary works both ways: Spanish to English and English to Spanish. Just click on the preferred language to re-order the list. Or use the Search Box to find any phrase that contains the word you are looking for.

If you spot any errors or have suggestions for additional entries, please let me know.

SPANISHENGLISH
A la derechaTowards the right
A la izquierdaTowards the left
AbajoBelow
AbiertoOpen
AbrilApril
AchatadoLower
AcostadoHorizontal
AgenciaReceiving office with no registration facilities
Agente postalPostal agent (often a forwarder)
AgostoAugust
Al mismo nivelAt the same level
Al remitenteReturn to sender
Al reversoOn the back
AlejadoSeparated
AltoHigh; at the top; up
AlturaHeight
AmbosBoth
AnchoWide
AnoYear
Anulado con barrasBarred (postmark)
ArribaAbove; at the top
AusenteNot at home
BajoLow; at the bottom
BandaletaSlogan postmark
BisectadoBisected; halved
BloqueMiniature sheet
Bloque de cuatroBlock of four
BordeMargin
BurilazoPlate scratch
BuzonLetter box
CadaEach
Cambio de colorChange of colour
CancelacionCancellation
CanceladoCancelled
Cancelado a plumaPen cancelled
CantidadQuantity
Cargo a cobrarCharge to pay
CartaLetter
Carta postalPerforated letter card
CarteroPostman
Casilla de correoPO box
CentradoCentered
CentroCenter/Centre
CertificadoRegistered letter
ChataFlat
ChiquitaSmall
Cierre oficialOfficial seal
CifraCipher; numeral
CinquentaFifty
CirculoCircle
Color de la sobrecargaColour of overprint
CompletoComplete
ConWith
Con aviso de retornoAdvice of delivery
Con huecoWith punched hole
Con zanja en mediaGutter pair
ConocidoKnown
ContramarcaOverprint
ContramarcadoOverprinted
CorreoPost; mail
Correo aereoAirmail
Correo centralCentral or General Post Office
Correo oficialOfficial mail
Correo maritimoMaritime mail
Correo urbanoLetter delivered to home address
CorridoMisplaced; shifted
CuadernilloBooklet
CuadriculadoQuadrille
CuadroBlock or pane
CuatroFour
CunoDie
DadoDie
DanadaDamaged
Debido aBecause of
DecretoDecree
DentadoPerforated
Dentado de peineComb perforation
Dentado en lineaLine perforation
DentarPerforation
DefectuosoDefective
DelgadoThin
DentadoPerforated
De oficioOfficial mail
De otro colorOf different colour
DerechoRight-hand side
DesdeFrom; since
DespuesAfter (in time)
Despues de horaToo late for despatch (by ship, plane or train)
Dia de emisionDay of issue
DiciembreDecember
DiezTen
DisenoDesign
DobleDouble
Doble impresionDouble printing
Dos Two
EjemplarExample
EmisionIssue
Emision conmemorativoCommemorative issue
Emision de beneficiennciaCharity issue
Emision localLocal
EmitidoIssued; put on sale
En dos lineasIn two lines
En lugar deInstead of; in place of
En mediaIn the middle
EncomiendaParcel
EneroJanuary
EnsayoEssay
EntreBetween
Entrega inmediataSpecial delivery
Escudo de armasCoat of arms
Espacio blanco entre dos gruposGutter
EspesoThick
EstafetaReceiving office that includes registration of letters
Estafeta ambulanteBy rail; travelling post office
Estafeta fluvialRiver post office
Estafeta maritimaSea post office
EstampillaStamp
EstrechoNarrow
EstrellaStar
ExpresoExpress or special delivery letter
ExteriorMail going or coming from abroad
FajaNewspaper wrapper
FalsificacionForgery; fake
FalsoFaked; forged
Falta de franqueoInsufficient postage
FebreroFebruary
FechaDate
FechadorDate stamp
FijasellosHinge
FiligranaWatermark
Filigrana acostadoSideways watermark
FondoBackground
FotograbadosPhotogravure
FotolitografiadosPhoto lithographed
FragmentoPart cover
FrancaPostage paid (19th century)
FranqueadoPostage paid; franked
FranqueoPostage
Franqueo a pagarPostage to be collected upon delivery
Franqueo oficialOfficial mail
Franqueo pagadoPostage paid, often in advance
Fuera de cursoObsolete
Fuera de radioOutside delivery area
GomaGum
GrabadosEngraved; recess printed
GruesoThick; heavy
GrupoPane
Hacia abajoDownward
Hacia arribaUpward
HechoMade
HileraRow or file
HojaSheet
HojitaSmall or souvenir sheet
Horadado con alfileresPin perforation
HuecoHole
Hueco grabadoRecess printing
IgualEqual
ImperforadoImperforate
ImpresionPrinting
Impresion en relieveEmbossing
ImpresoPrinted
ImpresosPrinted matter
ImprimirTo print
InferiorLow position
InscripcionInscription
InteriorNational mail or mail destined for neighbouring countries
InterrumpidoBroken
InvertidoInverted
IzquierdoLeft hand side
JulioJuly
JunioJune
LadoSide (left or right)
LetraLetter
LevantadoRaised (in position)
LeyLaw
Libre de portePostage free
Librito de franqueoStamp booklet
LineaLine
LisoSmooth
ListadoLaid
LitographiaLithography
LugarPlace
MaiMay
Mal estadoFound in damaged condition
Maquina franqueadaPostmarking machine; meter cancelling
MarcoFrame; border
MargenStamp margin
MarquillaPostal marking
MarzoMarch
MasMore
MataselladoCancellation
MatasellosCancellation
Matasello de favorCancelled to order
MedioHalf; middle
Medio pliegoHalf sheet
MontadoMounted (as a die proof on card)
MordidoWorn; defective; broken
MudoDumb cancellation
MuestraSpecimen stamp
Multa; multasPostage due; fine
NacimientoBirth
NavidadChristmas
NivelLevel
No dan razon; se mudoGone away; no known address
No oficialUnofficial
No se conoceNot known
NonNo; not
Non-emisUnissued
NoviembreNovember
NuevoUnused
NumeroNumber
ObliteracionObliteration
OctubreOctober
Oficina de abonadosOffice for sorting letters for PO boxes
Oficina de clasificacionSorting office
Oficina de distribucionDelivery office
Oficina de rentasOffice for purchasing fiscal/tax stamps
Oficina postal ambulanteBy rail; travelling post office
OscuroDark
PalidoPale
PapelPaper
Papel aviteladoWove paper
Papel blancoWhite paper
Papel coloreadoTinted paper
Papel con filamentosGranite paper
Papel delgadoThin paper
Papel estucadoChalk surfaced paper
Papel glaseadoCoated paper
Papel marquillaCard stock
Papel periodicoNewsprint
Papel transparenteThin, semi-transparent paper
ParPair
ParejaPair
Partido en dosBisected
PequenoSmall
PerforacionPerforation
PerforarTo perforate
Perforado en lineasRoulette
PicadoRouletted
Picado a serpentinaSerpentine roulette
Picado en zigzagZigzag roulette
PicaduraRoulette
PlanchaPlate or setting
Plancha quebradoCracked plate
PliegoSheet
PorFor; by
Por avionBy airmail
PortePostage rate
Porte a cobrarPostage to pay
Porte francoPostage free
PreobliteracionPre-cancellation
PrimerFirst
Primer dia de emisionFirst day of issue
PrivadoPrivate
ProvisionalesProvisionals
ProvisorioProvisional stamp
PruebaProof
Prueba de dadoDie proof
Prueba de impresionProof
Prueba de planchaPlate proof
PuntoDot; point; period
QuebradoBroken
RectoUpright
RedondoRound
RehusadaRefused
ReimpresionReprint
Respuesta postal pagadaReply paid letter on card
RestanteRemainder
RevesReverse
RombosLozenge (cancellation)
Seccion filatelicaPhilatelic bureau
SeccionalBranch post office
SegundoSecond
SeisSix
Sellito de controlControl stamp used on certain official stamps
SelloStamp
Sello conmemorativoCommemorative stamp
Sello de certificado lettereRegistration stamp
Sello de correo aereoAirmail stamp
Sello de correosPostage stamp
Sello de gomaRubber stamp
Sello de oficinaOfficial seal
Sello de servicioOfficial stamp
Sello de tasaPostage due stamp
Sello de urgenciaExpress letter stamp
Sello fiscalFiscal stamp
Sello fiscal postalPostal fiscal stamp
Sello para cartas retardadasToo-late stamp
Sello para paquete postalParcel post stamp
Sello para periodicosNewspaper stamp
Sello postalStamp (in Argentina)
Sellos de beneficiaCharity label
SetiembreSeptember
SiguienteFollowing
SinWithout
Sin cargoNo charge to be made
Sin charnelaUnhinged
Sin dentarImperforate
Sin gomaNo gum
Sin perf en mediaImperforate between
Sin perforarImperforate
SobreEnvelope
SobrecargaSurcharge; overprint
SobrecargadoSurcharged
Sobretasa aereoPrepaid surcharge for airmail delivery
SolamenteOnly; alone
SucursalBranch post office
SueltoSingle
SuperiorHigher (in position)
TamanoSize
Tarjeta postalPostcard
Tasa postalPostal tax
TerceraThird
TimbresRevenue or tax stamp
TipoType
TipografiaTypography
TiraStrip
TiradaIssue
TirajePrinting
TodoAll; entire
TonoShade
TresThree
Un, UnaOne
UnicamenteOnly
UsadoUsed
ValorValue
Valor declaradoInsured letter
ValoresValues
Variedad de colorColour variety
VeaseSee; refer to
Via aereaBy airmail
Via maritimaBy sea mail
Via superficie or via terrestreBy surface mail
ZanjaGutter

Colours (or Colors, as you prefer)

SPANISHENGLISH
AmarillentoYellowish
AmarilloYellow
Amarillo naranjaOrange yellow
Amarillo olivaOlive yellow
Amarillo verdosoGreenish yellow
AnaranjadoOrange
AnteadoBuff
AzulBlue
Azul aceroSteel blue
Azul apagadoDull blue
Azul claroLight blue
Azul de PrusiaPrussian blue
Azul grisGray blue
Azul indigoIndigo
Azul oscuroDeep blue; dark blue
Azul pizzaraSlate blue
Azul turbioChalky blue
Azul turquesaTurquoise blue
Azul verdosoGreenish blue
Azul violetaViolet blue
Azul vivoBright blue
AzuladoBluish
BermellonVermilion
BlancoWhite
CaféBrown
Cafe amarilloYellow brown
Cafe oscuroDark brown
CarmesiCrimson
CarminCarmine
CastanoChestnut brown
Castano amarilloYellow brown
Castano bistreBistre brown
Castano lacaLake brown
Castano naranjaOrange brown
Castano negruzcoBlackish brown
Castano olivaOlive brown
Castano purpuraPurple brown
Castano rojizoRed brown
Castano rojoChestnut
CelesteLight blue
CinabrioVermilion
ClaroBright
CobaltoCobalt
Color de ceresaCerise
Color de ciruelaPlum
DoradoGold
EscarlataScarlet
EsmereldaEmerald
GrisGray
Gris azuladoBlue gray
Gris negroBlack gray
Gris olivaOlive gray
Gris oscuroDark gray
GuariaRed violet
LacaLake
LilaLilac
Lila pizarraSlate lilac
Lila rojizoReddish lilac
LimonLemon
MalvaMauve
MarronMaroon
MoradoDeep purple
MulticoloresMulticoloured
NaranjaOrange
Naranja amarilloYellow orange
Naranja oscuroDark orange
Naranja rojizoRed orange
NegroBlack
OcreOchre
OlivaOlive; olive green
Oliva amarilloYellow olive
Oliva negruzcoBlackish olive
PardoBrown
PizarraSlate
PizarroDark Gray
PlateadoSilver
PolicromoMulticoloured
PurpuraPurple
Purpura castanoBrown purple
Purpura pizarraSlate purple
Purpura rojizoReddish purple
Purpura rojo oscuroMaroon
Purpura turbioDull purple
Purpura vivoBright purple
RojizoReddish
RojoRed
Rojo cafeBrown red
Rojo carmineCarmine red
Rojo castanoBrown red
Rojo ladrilloBrick red
Rojo naranjaOrange red
Rojo rosadoRose red
Rojo vinosoClaret
RosaRose; pink
RosadoRose
UltramarUltramarine
VerdeGreen
Verde amarilloYellow green
Verde azulBlue green
Verde azulado oscuroDeep bluish green
Verde bronceBronze green
Verde esmeraldaEmerald green
Verde grisGray green
Verde manzanaApple green
Verde negruzcoBlackish green
Verde olivaOlive green
Verde oscuroDark green
Verde pizarraSlate green
Verde turbioDull green
Verde turquesaTurquoise green
Verde vivoBright green
VerdosoGreenish
VinoClaret
VioletaViolet
Violeta azuladoBluish violet
Violeta rojizoReddish violet

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