Of all the similar-looking Spanish wordswith different meanings and uses that could have come knocking, today it’s cartero and cartera that have arrived at our door.
Starting with cartero (masculine), you can listen to how it’s pronounced here:
Un cartero is a man who works for the postal delivery service delivering letters and parcels – a postman or mailman in other words:
Su padre era cartero.
His father was a postman.
Un día llega a su casa el cartero y le entrega un paquete para su vecino.
One day the postman arrives at her house and gives her a parcel for her neighbour.
El cartero te hará entrega de un sobre marrón con un código de identificación único alfanumérico.
The postman will give you a brown envelope with a unique alphanumerical identification code.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, one of the meanings of una cartera (feminine) is a woman who delivers letters and parcels – a postwoman or mailwoman:
Trabaja como cartera.
She works as a postwoman.
However, a commoner meaning of una cartera is a small, flattish fold-over pouch in which you carry credit cards and notes or bills ‒ a wallet or billfold (or a woman’s purse):
Al parecer, los sospechosos le robaron la cartera, un reloj y veinticinco euros.
Seemingly the suspects stole her wallet or purse, a watch and twenty-five euros.
Encuentra en la cartera de Antonio una foto de los niños.
She finds a photo of the children in Antonio’s wallet.
Alguien había olvidado una cartera con billetes de banco sobre una de las mesas.
Someone had left a wallet with bank notes in it on one of the tables.
Una cartera can also be a larger, flattish receptacle (with a handle or strap) made of leather or another flexible material and used to carry documents and books – a briefcase or school bag depending on context:
No permiten la entrada a quienes lleven carteras, maletines, bolsas o mochilas.
They don’t let in anyone carrying briefcases, bags or rucksacks.
la cartera de una chica de su clase
the school bag belonging to a girl in his class
Used particularly for carrying artworks safely, una cartera can be a folder consisting of a hard front and back joined on one side and closed by folding the sides together. In English we’d call this a portfolio:
Compiló una cartera de pinturas botánicas.
She compiled a portfolio of botanical paintings.
Portfolio is also the translation when cartera refers to a set of investments held by an individual or company:
una cartera de inversiones
a portfolio of investments
Ha ampliado continuamente su cartera de productos.
It has continually expanded its portfolio of products.
More abstractly, la cartera is the position, post or area of responsibility of a minister of government:
Ocupó la cartera del Ministro de Comunicaciones de 1998 a 2000.
He held the position of Minister for Communications from 1998 to 2000.
Fue ministro de estado en la cartera de minería.
He was a minister of state (with responsibility) for mining.
Ocupó varias carteras de gabinete durante la década de 1950.
He held a number of cabinet positions during the 1950s.
Fue ministro sin cartera.
He was a minister without portfolio.
In Latin America, una cartera can be a receptacle with a strap commonly used by women to carry wallets, make-up, pens and documents in – a handbag or purse:
Sacó de su cartera un pintalabios y se miró en el espejo.
She took a lipstick out of her handbag or purse and looked at herself in the mirror.
DID YOU KNOW?
As well as cartera, there’s another word for briefcase: un maletín (plural: maletines). So what’s the difference between un maletín and una cartera?
ANSWER
Un maletín is a larger and more substantial piece and can even refer to a small suitcase (which is understandable given that una maleta is a suitcase).
