Where is “cartera” used to mean "purse” or “handbag” and why is that the word for “purse” (or handbag) instead of “bolso?”

Question

I was reading through a discussion thread over at Duolingo — one in which several different terms for “purse,” “handbag,” and “wallet” were mentioned. By the end of it, I was confused myself, so I took the time to write an article on it. You can link to that article here:

“Is a “cartera” really a “purse?”

The article is a bit long, but if you do a search (CTRL+F) for "Chile," it should take you to the section most relevant to this question here.

The one major question that still remains for me, though, is the one I’ve posted here. If you read my article, I’ve used the power of deduction to make a good guess about which countries use the word “cartera” to mean “purse,” but it wasn’t an exact science and I’d love to get a more informative answer to include the reason some countries use “cartera” instead of “bolso” to mean “purse.”

---

¿Dónde se utiliza “cartera” en el sentido de “purse” o “handbag” y por qué es ésa la palabra para “purse” (o handbag) en lugar de “bolso”?

Estaba leyendo un hilo de discusión de Duolingo — uno en el que varios términos diferentes para “purse”, “handbag”, y “wallet” se mencionaron. Al fin de todo, estaba confundida, así que me tomé tiempo para escribir un artículo sobre eso. El vínculo a ese artículo aparece a continuación:

“Is a “cartera” really a “purse?””

Es un poco largo, pero si haces una búsqueda (Ctrl+F) de "Chile", debería tomarte a la sección más relevante a esta pregunta aquí.

La única pregunta de gran importancia que todavía me resta, sin embargo, es la que he publicado aquí. Si lees mi artículo, he usado el poder de deducción a hacer una buena suposición sobre qué países utilizan la palabra “cartera” para significar “purse”, pero no es una ciencia exacta y me encantaría obtener una respuesta más informativa para incluir la razón por la que algunos países utilizan “cartera” en lugar de “bolso” para significar “purse.”

Answer 1

I'm afraid this answer will have multiple acceptable answers, but I can answer for Argentina and give my reasons, and then we'll see if they hold for other countries.

In Argentina, in general, cartera generally means a woman's purse or handbag, with a handle and optionally a shoulder strap. The bulkier this gets, the more likely is it to be called bolso instead. Some will call a clutch bag (without a handle) also cartera, but I believe the English word clutch is in use too.

Men might use a cartera but in that case it's almost always a type of clutch with no handles or straps, like an oversized wallet (billetera). Men carry around a billetera in their pockets, but if they have a cartera, it's probably the thing where they keep their driver's license and other important papers, and they put it in the car's glovebox.

If you search for cartera de hombre in places like MercadoLibre.com.ar you'll find lots of bigger things, some resembling what was traditionally called a portafolios (briefcase), and some bulky handbags with shoulder straps. I've never heard these called carteras myself.

Bolso is used to mean a (generally big) handbag that is employed for some specific use and is durable. Unlike carteras, these need not be fashion accessories. So you have bolso deportivo for "sports bag", bolso de viaje for "traveling bag", etc. The bulky things I described just above would actually be called bolsos by most people I know.

Bolsa is most often reserved for shopping bags, made of plastic or paper. The connotation of the word is strongly utilitarian and suggests cheap, discardable items; fashion and bolsas don't come together. If you take a non-discardable cloth bag to the supermarket, then that's a bolso, not a bolsa.

I have no idea why cartera is preferred over other words here. But the thing that sets carteras apart is that they're supposed to be small, portable, and able to keep important personal items. A popular way to speak of something that is small and convenient and can be carried around all the time is that it's made para la cartera de la dama y el bolsillo del caballero, i.e. "for the lady's purse and the gentleman's pocket". This is a rather old-fashioned expression but it's still valid because women's pants are often made so that pockets are unusable and men are not used to carry around clutches or purses. So that shows to what degree carteras are viewed as equivalent to pockets, at least for some functions. Neither bolso nor bolsa have this connotation; indeed, for the most part the obvious relationship between bolso and bolsillo goes unnoticed. Bolso and bolsa suggest something that is large compared to what it usually contains, and that expands to contain it, and so on; not so cartera, which suggets a small container for small things that don't move around in it (remember I said big carteras cause some vacillation, and people tend to call them bolsos if they become too large).

This is probably too rambling and speculative for a good answer but maybe it can serve as the basis for something more structured.

Answer 2

Well, first of all, we should have a look at the DRAE:

Cartera:

1. f. Objeto cuadrangular de pequeñas dimensiones hecho de piel u otro material, plegado por su mitad, que puede llevarse en el bolsillo y sirve para contener documentos, tarjetas, billetes de banco, etc.

2. f. Objeto de forma cuadrangular hecho de cuero u otra materia generalmente flexible, con asa para llevarlo y que puede contener documentos, papeles, libros, etc.

3.f. [...]

4. f. Bolso de mujer pequeño y plano que se lleva en la mano, generalmente sin asa.

5. f. [...]

6. f. Empleo de ministro (‖ responsable de uno de los departamentos de la Administración).

[...]

9. f. Am. Bolso de las mujeres.

Now, I'll focus on Spain, which is the case I know.

The first thing you'd think of when reading "la cartera" is "wallet." That's the first meaning of the word.

Besides that, it is also used for a handbag (meaning #2), but it is not a fashion element. Rather it is considered working equipment. In fact, there's a really fine line between "cartera" and "maletín." Many people would say "cartera" for "maletín."

Ministers used to carry them. That's why the language has adopted the 6th meaning. Ministers do carry "carteras," and when they "take the cartera," it means they just started their job.

So, as I see it, "cartera" is very different than "bolso," which is "purse." That's a fashion element / an ordinary accessory, nothing to do with carrying formal/working papers.

On the other hand, #9 says that, in America, it is used as a purse, so that might be the answer you're looking for. Although it's true that it seems to also have a more general use, according to #4, but I have never heard it used that way in Spain.

Note: I also remember when my grandparents used to say "cartera" for the school bag. That's because, decades ago, children used to take "maletines" (carteras) to school.

Answer 3

I don't get exactly what you expect from us. But let's try.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary

purse

1 . [UK US] change purse a small container for money, usually used by a woman
2. [US] a handbag

The first meaning in Spain is usually represented by monedero.

According to the D.R.A.E
monedero, ra

1. m. Bolsa, saquillo u objeto pequeño de otra forma, en cuyo interior se lleva dinero en metálico.

The second meaning, handbag, in Spain is usually represented by bolso.

bolso

3. m. Bolsa de mano por lo común pequeña, hecha de cuero, tela u otra materia, provista de cierre y frecuentemente de asa, que utilizan en particular las mujeres para llevar dinero, documentos, objetos de uso personal, etc.

This definition matches the one offered by the Cambridge Dictionary for handbag

handbag

a small bag for money, keys, make-up, etc., carried especially by women

And finally, the main meaning of cartera in Spain is wallet. Let's compare the afore mentioned dictionaries again

cartera

1. f. Objeto cuadrangular de pequeñas dimensiones hecho de piel u otro material, plegado por su mitad, que puede llevarse en el bolsillo y sirve para contener documentos, tarjetas, billetes de banco, etc.

wallet

billfold, a small folding case for carrying paper money, credit cards and other flat objects, that can be carried in a pocket and is used especially by men

Spanish women usually carry a bolso [handbag] and inside it, they may have both a monedero [purse] with coins and a wallet [cartera] with documents and notes.

Cartera is not used to identify neither a monedero nor a bolso.

A cartera may be used, as registered in the D.R.A.E, to identify a leather bag to carry documents or books.

2. f. Objeto de forma cuadrangular hecho de cuero u otra materia generalmente flexible, con asa para llevarlo y que puede contener documentos, papeles, libros, etc.