carpeta

Carpeta is a noun in Spanish that refers to a container used to hold and organize documents. In everyday use it denotes both physical folders and digital directories; the term is common across Spain and Latin America.

Physical folders come in various forms: manila folders, folders with fasteners or rings (carpeta anillada), expanding folders, and presentation folders. Materials include cardboard, heavy paper, plastic, or leather. They typically have labels or tabs to identify contents. Sizes commonly used are A4 and Letter. Interior features may include pockets, fasteners, or dividers to separate sections.

In offices, schools, and administration, 'carpeta' denotes a set of papers about a topic or a person, such as a "carpeta escolar" (school binder) or "carpeta de proyectos" (project file). In journalism or law enforcement, a "carpeta" can mean a dossier or file that collects documents and evidence, as in "carpeta de investigación."

Digital use mirrors the physical sense: in computing, a "carpeta" is a directory or folder in a computer file system. Users create carpetas to organize files, with common examples like "Carpeta de documentos" or "Descargas." The term thus spans both tangible organizers and virtual directories, reflecting its broad role in information management.