Today’s Spanish word of the day is “caja”.
It’s a feminine noun meaning “box” or “crate”.
The word can also refer to the place where you pay in a shop or other establishment, and can translate as “cash register”, “checkout”, “counter” or “till”.
One related Spanish word is the verb “encajar”, meaning “to fit”. This word was formed by combining the word “caja” with the prefix en- (“in”), so originally the word “encajar” literally meant to fit something in a box.
The word “caja” derives from the Latin word capsa (“box”), from which we get the words “capsule” (which originally meant “little box”), and “cash” (which entered English via a French word meaning “money box”).
Example sentences
La caja está en el armario.
The box is in the closet.
Abrí la caja y encontré un regalo.
I opened the box and found a gift.
Necesito una caja para guardar estos libros.
I need a box to store these books.
La caja era pequeña, pero contenía todos sus recuerdos más preciados.
The box was small, but it held all her most cherished memories.
Asegúrate de sellar la caja con cinta adhesiva antes de enviarla.
Make sure to seal the box with tape before sending it.
