chapa

[ˈt͡ʃapa]

/[ˈt͡ʃapa]/ noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“chapa” is a moderately-common Spanish word, ranked #12,108 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#12,108
frequency rank, Spanish
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Lámina de madera, metal u otro material duro.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

chapa vs Copa
40% similar
chapa vs chat
60% similar
chapa vs chip
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for chapa
PropertyValue
Headwordchapa
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈt͡ʃapa]
Letters5
Frequency rank#12,108
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chapa” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). chapa lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for chapa is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈt͡ʃapa]. Corpus data places it at rank #12,108 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 26 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for chapa, with forms such as "cahpa", "cchapa", and "chaap". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Copa", "chat", "chip", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Spanish form is chapa, spelled C-H-A-P-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    Lámina de madera, metal u otro material duro.
  2. 2
    Matrícula (rectángulo metálico con el número de identificación para un vehículo).
  3. 3
    Carrocería (armazón metálica externa de un auto).
  4. 4
    Cerradura (conjunto de piezas metálicas que forman el mecanismo de cierre y apertura de una puerta).
  5. 5
    Tapa metálica con una rosca para cerrar botellas.
  6. 6
    Moneda estropeada que se usa para jugar al tejo.
  7. 7
    Dinero.
  8. 8
    Arandelas que se usan en la cocina.
  9. 9
    Pequeño rectángulo metálico con su identificación que lleva el policía en el pecho de su uniforme.
  10. 10
    Documento de identidad.
  11. 11
    Prestigio, fama, renombre.
  12. 12
    Nombre falso dado para ocultar la verdadera identidad de agentes de organismos de seguridad del gobierno del Presidente Pinochet.
  13. 13
    Nombre inventado que se le da a una persona.
  14. 14
    Policía.
  15. 15
    Caracol terrestre de gran tamaño, común en Valencia, con la concha deprimida a manera de chapa en su parte superior, aquillada, muy áspera y de color de tierra.
  16. 16
    Chapeta.
  17. 17
    Hebilla.
  18. 18
    Entre zapateros, pedazo de piel, comúnmente baldés, con que se aseguran las últimas puntadas en los extremos de las cortaduras o uniones de unas piezas con otras.
  19. 19
    Mancha de color rojo que se ponían artificialmente las mujeres en el rostro.
  20. 20
    Sonrojamiento.
  21. 21
    Dientes postizos, dentadura artificial para una persona, por lo regular anciana, que está desdentada.
  22. 22
    Persona de poca valía o inútil.
  23. 23
    Funcionario policial de baja graduación.
  24. 24
    Burla o broma insistente y, a veces, cargante.
  25. 25
    Loco, demente.
  26. 26
    Actividad o charla aburrida o molesta por extenderse más de la cuenta.

Synonyms

hojaláminamatrículapatenteplacaplacaaliasseudónimoapodosobrenombrecarmíncoloreteplacabrasarollovara

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cahpa,cchapa,chaap,chappa,chhapa,chpaa,hcapa

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chapa - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

cahpa2cchapa1chaap2chappa1chhapa1chpaa2hcapa2
Edit distance from "chapa"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "chapa"?
"chapa" is spelled C-H-A-P-A. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈt͡ʃapa].
What does "chapa" mean?
As a noun, "chapa" means: Lámina de madera, metal u otro material duro.
What words are commonly confused with "chapa"?
"chapa" is commonly confused with "Copa", "chat", "chip". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "chapa"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chapa" is [ˈt͡ʃapa]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "chapa" come from?
"chapa" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “chapa”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is C-H-A-P-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈt͡ʃapa] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Copa” - see the side-by-side comparison. chapa vs Copa
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list