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"Costa" is a form of "costa", a noun which is often translated as "coast". "Playa" is a form of "playa", a noun which is often translated as "beach". Learn more about the difference between "costa" and "playa" below.
la costa(
kohs
-
tah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
a. coast
Van a la costa en el verano cuando hace calor en el interior.They go to the coast in the summer when it gets hot inland.
b. shore
Los niños se divirtieron jugando en la costa del lago Michigan.The children had fun playing on the shore of Lake Michigan.
c. bank
Fuimos a la hermosa ciudad de San Isidro en la costa del Río de la Plata.We went to the beautiful city of San Isidro on the banks of the La Plata River.
la playa(
plah
-
yah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
a. beach
Ayer fuimos a dar un paseo por la playa al amanecer.We went for a walk on the beach at sunrise yesterday.
