Tagged Questions
4
votes
2answers
122 views
Spanish words for “loop”
I was recently reading a review of a Spanish-English dictionary that picked "loop" as a good example of a word with many possible translations into Spanish. I looked around and found several ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views
How do you differentiate between walnuts and pecans in Spanish?
It recently occurred to me that the Spanish nuez can be translated to English as both "walnut" and "pecan." Is the same word really used for both types of nuts? How would you specify which nut you're ...
11
votes
4answers
237 views
Translation of “bug” to Spanish
What is the best way to translate "bug", as in a misfeature of a computer program or device?
Google translate offers a few options, none of which quite seem to fit, except the term itself:
bug ...
9
votes
1answer
436 views
How should I discuss my wife's due date?
How do I tell people when my wife's due date is? I usually say something like "el bebé se debe nacer el cuatro de junio" but I don't know if that's the correct way to say it.
5
votes
3answers
2k views
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre “formación” y “capacitación”?
Estoy escribiendo con mi amiga de Argentina, y ella me habló de su nuevo trabajo. Ella dijo que tenía que tomar un curso de capacitación, pero veo la palabra "formación" en lugar a veces.
¿Cuál es ...
5
votes
3answers
90 views
“Earthquake”: When to use “temblor” and “terremoto”
When referring to an earthquake, are temblor and terremoto perfect synonyms? Are there any differences?
8
votes
2answers
209 views
What is the spanish translation for “Account” when referring to a user account on a website?
The English > Spanish translation of account on Google Translate comes up with various forms of the word cuenta.
However, the Spanish > English translation of cuenta returns words relating to ...
11
votes
3answers
354 views
What is the difference between “personas” and “gente”?
I was translating a sentence for school en Español and I came across the word "people." I looked it up on Google Translate and it gave me "personas" and also "gente." What is the difference between ...
8
votes
5answers
228 views
Is “tobogán” an acceptable word for “slide” throughout the Spanish speaking world?
English
I'm trying to learn words to talk to my baby at the playground in Spanish. WordReference.com gives the following as part of its definition for "slide."
slide 2 sustantivo 1. (in ...
4
votes
2answers
204 views
Describing stress in Spanish
In Spanish class, I remember learning that "stress" (as in what someone who is coming up on a deadline feels) isn't commonly spoken of in Spanish-speaking countries for cultural reasons, but it can be ...
3
votes
2answers
115 views
Translation for the adjective “haunting” (as in “a haunting melody”)
What is the best Spanish translation for the English adjective "haunting" (as in "a haunting melody")? WordReference gives three options: evocador, inquietante and inolvidable. Do any of these really ...
3
votes
2answers
111 views
Translation of “slacks” (dress pants)
What is the typical way in Spanish to refer to "slacks" (or dress pants that you'd wear with a suit or other formal clothing)? Is there a universal way to distinguish them from less formal pants? ...
8
votes
5answers
273 views
Best way to translate 'uneducated', meaning lacking formal schooling
Generally the Spanish word maleducado more often means rude, rather than unschooled. In light of this, how would one describe someone who is polite and intelligent, but has never been formally ...
8
votes
1answer
228 views
What's the difference between “sólo”, “únicamente” and “solamente”?
According to the RAE:
solo o sólo.
adv. m. Únicamente, solamente.
In what situations is preferred to use one over the other?
Are they interchangeable?
Sólo es una pregunta ...
6
votes
2answers
137 views
What is the difference between requerir and exigir?
I believe that they both mean to "require." But do they refer to different "degrees" (urgencies) or types of requirments?
Can they be used interchangeably or is one more suitable in some contexts and ...
2
votes
2answers
147 views
What is the difference between “por medio de” and “a través de”?
It seems like a través de and por medio de can often be used to mean the same thing. What is the difference between them, and in what contexts can you only use one or the other?
2
votes
1answer
167 views
Different words for “servant”
According to Wiktionary, the English "servant" has two meanings:
One who serves another, providing help in some manner.
(e.g. She is quite the humble servant, the poor in this city owe much to her ...
8
votes
3answers
485 views
What's the difference between rezar and orar? Are there any other ways to say 'to pray'?
My teacher told me that different religions tend to use different words for "to pray", usually choosing between rezar and orar. Which words are preferred by what religions & in which areas? Are ...
6
votes
1answer
229 views
What's the plural of “suéter”?
What's the plural of "suéter"?
In Mexico, most of the times is called "sueters".
Is it "sueters" or "suéteres"?
5
votes
2answers
217 views
forever: por siempre vs. para siempre
I have seen "forever" translated as both por siempre and para siempre. What is the difference? Are there contexts where you must use one or the other?
3
votes
3answers
191 views
Translating “Help!” (interjection)
In English, if there is any kind of emergency or urgent assistance needed, we use the interjection, "Help!" In Spanish I've seen several:
¡Socorro!
¡Auxilio!
¡Ayuda! or ¡Ayúdame!
Which of these is ...
6
votes
7answers
2k views
How might you say a child is “cute” in Spanish?
Suppose you see a mother with a laughing little 2-year-old. In English, we might exclaim, "how cute!"
I've had trouble saying this in Spanish. The word "cute" means something like "beautiful", but it ...
5
votes
3answers
176 views
feliz vs. alegre vs. dichoso
I recently heard dichoso used to mean feliz. Looking up dichoso in a dictionary shows it means "happy" (or "blessed"). What is the difference between dichoso, feliz, and alegre to mean "happy"? Are ...
2
votes
1answer
167 views
Words for “to encourage”: alentar, animar, fomentar
In English, "to encourage" seems to have at least two uses:
to suggest that someone should do something (e.g. "He encouraged me to find a new guitar teacher.")
to give confidence or hope to someone ...
2
votes
3answers
420 views
Translation of “real estate”
I have read that "real estate" can be translated as:
bienes raíces
bienes inmuebles
inmuebles
What is the difference between these terms, and which is the most generic translation of "real ...
3
votes
4answers
13k views
congratulations: felicidades vs. felicitaciones
English
I have heard both ¡Felicidades! and ¡Felicitaciones! as translations of the interjection, "Congratulations!"
What is the difference between the two, and when is each used?
Español
He ...
2
votes
1answer
185 views
Translation of cord, cable, string, line, thread, rope, etc
In English there are many words describing different kinds of long, skinny, flexible objects:
cord
line (as in fishing line, clothesline)
cable
strand
lace (as in shoe lace)
thread
rope
string
wire
...
0
votes
1answer
145 views
Translation of “to wind (a rope, hose, string, cord, etc.)”
The other questions about "wind" got me thinking about it's normal verb use. To "wind" something is to wrap it in circles, either around an object or simply making a coil. For this use, it looks like ...
2
votes
2answers
173 views
Translating “to wind up (doing something)”
In informal English, we use the phrase "to wind up" to describe the final state of a situation, after all is said and done. For example:
How did you wind up moving to Kansas after growing up in ...
2
votes
1answer
82 views
“Reclamo” vs. “Reclamación”
Whenever I go to a restaurant I see a Libro de Reclamaciones which I believe it's something like a Book of Complaints. I thought the direct translation of complaint was in fact reclamo or queja. In ...
1
vote
2answers
469 views
wallet: cartera vs. billetera
The English word "wallet" (as in something you carry in your pocket to hold money, credit cards, etc.) can be translated into Spanish as cartera or billetera. Are the words synonyms that can be used ...
1
vote
1answer
63 views
holy: santo vs. sagrado
What is the difference between santo and sagrado in translating the English religious word "holy." How are the two words used in religious contexts in Spanish-speaking countries?
7
votes
3answers
520 views
Usage of fea and rico
I'm learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone. The lesson I am currently on has two examples that I don't completely understand.
La leche está fea
El pan está rico
"Fea" seems to be translated ...
5
votes
4answers
835 views
to drink: beber vs. tomar
I have heard beber and tomar used interchangeably as translations for the English "to drink." Is there any difference between the two, or are they exact synonyms when describing drinking a liquid? Are ...
1
vote
3answers
164 views
Break: romper vs. quebrar vs. quebrantar vs. partir
Off the top of my head, I can think of four Spanish translations for the English verb "to break":
romper
quebrar
quebrantar
partir
In what cases can each be used, and what are the differences ...
1
vote
2answers
189 views
Words for mountain/hill [closed]
English describes landforms that rise above the surrounding land as "mountains" or "hills." What words in Spanish describe a mountain or a hill? What are the differences between them (i.e. what size ...
2
votes
3answers
980 views
Ways to express “to get ready” or “to get dressed”
What verbs in Spanish are used to express the concept of "getting ready" or "getting dressed" (for example, before leaving the house to go out to dinner)? I've seen alistarse, arreglarse, prepararse, ...
2
votes
3answers
487 views
challenge: desafío vs. reto
The English word "challenge" can be translated to Spanish as desafío (desafiar) or reto (retar). Is there any difference between these words, or are they exact synonyms? If there is a difference, when ...
1
vote
2answers
82 views
Insect bites vs. stings
In English, some insects bite you (like mosquitos), while other insects sting you (like bees). A bite generally involves an animal's mouth, while a sting involves another part of the animal (a bee's ...
2
votes
1answer
818 views
Translation of “bed bug” (chinche?)
In English, bed bugs are parasitic insects that can infest beds and the areas where people sleep. Wikipedia shows that the Spanish term for bed bug is chinche. However, my understanding is that ...
2
votes
1answer
86 views
justicia: justice and righteousness?
In the Spanish Bible, I believe the English "justice" and "righteousness" are both translated as justicia. Is justicia the only word that can translate both of these terms? Is there any way to know ...
1
vote
1answer
99 views
plan: plano vs. plan
The English "plan" can be translated into Spanish as plan or plano. What is the difference between plan and plano, and when would each one be used?
3
votes
1answer
136 views
shy: tímido vs. reservado vs. vergonzoso vs. penoso
In many parts of the Spanish-speaking world, describing a person who is "shy" can be done with at least four different words:
tímido
reservado
vergonzoso
penoso
What is the difference between ...
0
votes
1answer
862 views
Words for boat, ship, and other seafaring vessels
In English, we have many words to describe the different types of vessels that travel on water:
boat
ship
yacht
dinghy
canoe
kayak
raft
watercraft
vessel
sailboat
barge
catamaran
lifeboat/liferaft
...
6
votes
5answers
958 views
What is the difference between allí and ahí (“there”)?
English
What is the difference between allí and ahí? Is there any difference in pronunciation between the two? Are there any contexts where one is correct and one is wrong, or are they completely ...
8
votes
4answers
511 views
Waterfall: cascada vs. catarata
What is the difference between cascada and catarata as translations for the English "waterfall"? Are they synonyms, or is there a difference?
8
votes
2answers
338 views
Armpit: sobaco vs. axila
"Armpit" in English can be translated as either sobaco or axila in Spanish. Is each term used in different regions, or are they both used across the Spanish-speaking world? What is the difference, or ...
1
vote
2answers
134 views
“although” vs. “even though” vs. “though”
In English, there are three conjunctions that are very similar:
although
even though
though
Is aunque the only possible translation of these to Spanish, or are there similar synonyms in Spanish as ...
1
vote
1answer
127 views
Efficient: eficiente vs. eficaz
The English "efficient" can be translated as either eficiente or eficaz in Spanish. What is the difference between these two translations? In what situations can each be used?
3
votes
2answers
855 views
Translation of “bowl”
I have heard many different translations for bowl (the dish) in different Spanish-speaking countries. What words are normally used to translate "bowl"? Which is most universally understood? What ...
