cola vs fila vs linea
I work at a grocery store and I usually say "fila" to refer to the line that people stand in at my register. My american friend said she has heard it called a "cola" but when I used that term in Spanish class, my Spanish teacher told me that "cola" wasn't really the right word, that it should be "fila." I asked my Peruvian friend and he said "fila" was more like a line that we stood in to walk to lunch in Elementary school and that "cola" should be used. I asked some Mexicans and most think that it's best to say "fila" but that "cola" can also be used. I'm confused! I know if I say either one people will understand me, but I want to know which is technically correct. Also, can "línea" be used in this case?
2 Answers
gintar77:
cola and fila can be used almost always interchangeably.
hagan una fila/cola para las entradas del cine/teatro.
Si es una instrucción en gimnasia o estás en la militar, se te ordena que hagas/formes una fila.
Cierto, fila es una persona detrás de otra, y cola is not uniform.
Both "fila" and "cola" to me can mean a line of people. It may just be preference or regional, like the difference between "line" and "queue".
However, "fila" can also mean "single file"--one person behind (or next to) one another in a column or row. In this case, I would say it is not interchangeable with "cola".
"Línea" can also be used for a line of people, but it is more often used to signify a geometrical line.
