When you hear the word sombrero, the first image that likely comes to mind is the traditional wide-brimmed Mexican men’s hat. However, in the Spanish language, sombrero generically refers to any hat with a brim that runs completely around the crown.
Latin American Pronunciation
European Pronunciation
It’s common for specific terms to be borrowed from one language into another and to undergo “semantic narrowing” over time. For instance, in English, we use the word menorah to specifically denote the candelabrum lit during Chanukah but in Hebrew, it simply means lamp. It is this very phenomenon that changed the meaning of sombrero in English.
The Mexican hat English speakers refer to as sombrero is actually called a sombrero de charro in Spanish. Charro refers to the horsemen from the countryside in Mexico.
This word derives from the word sombra meaning shade in Spanish.
Sombrero is a masculine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles:
- el sombrero = the hat
- los sombreros = the hats
- un sombrero = a hat
- unos sombreros = some hats
Use un sombrero, hoy hace mucho sol.
Wear a hat, it’s very sunny today.
A few examples of hats that would classify as sombreros include:
- sombrero de copa = top hat
- sombrero hongo = bowler hat
- sombrero safari = safari hat
- sombrero de tres picos = three-cornered hat / cocked hat
- sombrero de paja = straw hat
- sombrero de ala ancha = wide-brimmed hat
- sombrero vaquero = cowboy hat
- sombrero de pescador = bucket hat
In Spanish, there are two more words for a hat: the pair gorro and gorra. Though their meanings may overlap slightly depending on the country, we can broadly categorise them. Gorro typically refers to items like baseball caps or bucket hats, while gorra is used for hats resembling beanies. In places like Argentina and Uruguay, they’re often used interchangeably, and in Colombia, cachucha is frequently synonymous with gorra.
In Spanish, the idiomatic expression quitarse el sombrero means to take off one’s hat (to someone). It has the same meaning as the English expression: to express praise or admiration towards someone.
Me quito el sombrero ante ti.
I take off my hat to you.
Some etymologically related terms include sombrerero (hatmaker), sombrerillo (cap of a mushroom), sombrerete (little hat or cap), and sombrerería (hat shop or factory).
