Spanish Spanish

Vocab Builder for commonly used words in Spanish.

minimizar una ventana
minimize a window

The Spanish phrase 'minimizar una ventana' translates to 'minimize a window' in English. This is a command often used in computing to reduce a window to its smallest size, usually as a small icon, thus removing it from the main display without closing the program. You may see it on your computer screen, typically represented by a dash or underscore sign in the upper right-hand corner of a window.

Example sentences with  minimizar una ventana
ministerial
Ministerial

The word 'ministerial' in Spanish translates to 'ministerial' in English. It is an adjective that is used to describe something pertaining to a minister or the ministry. This could refer to any sort of high authority in a government, religious, or other organization. It is often used in contexts relating to power, leadership, and management.

Example sentences with  ministerial
Ministerio
Ministry

The Spanish word 'Ministerio' translates to 'Ministry' in English. In a governmental context, a ministry is a department or specific branch of a government. This division is headed by a minister who is appointed by the head of the state. Ministries focus on a specific segment of governance like health, defense, education, and more. Thus, 'Ministerio' refers to these specific departments within a government or organization.

Example sentences with  Ministerio
Ministerio de Hacienda
Ministry of Finance

The 'Ministerio de Hacienda' in Spanish refers to the 'Ministry of Finance' in English. This is a government department that is responsible for managing a country's money. The Ministry of Finance typically manages all of a country's revenues, expenditures, and borrowing. It is in charge of budget creation, tax collection, funding economic priorities, monitoring expenditures, and managing public funds. The ministry plays a key role in improving the economic and financial prosperity of a country.

Example sentences with  Ministerio de Hacienda
ministro de Asuntos Exteriores
Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Spanish phrase 'ministro de Asuntos Exteriores' translates to 'Minister of Foreign Affairs' in English. This is a high-ranking official in a national government who is responsible for handling international relations and representing their country to the rest of the world. This person may negotiate treaties, engage in diplomatic talks with representatives from other countries, and work on issues like trade agreements, international human rights, and global environmental policies.

Example sentences with  ministro de Asuntos Exteriores
ministro de Defensa
Minister of Defence

The term 'ministro de Defensa' in Spanish translates to 'Minister of Defence' in English. This is a high-ranking government position responsible for coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions directly related to national security and the armed forces. The Minister of Defence has the authority over the army, navy, and air force. He or she is sometimes a member of the country's executive, judicial, or legislative branch, depending on the country's constitution.

Example sentences with  ministro de Defensa
ministro de Educación
Minister of Education

The Spanish phrase 'ministro de Educación' translates to 'Minister of Education' in English and it refers to the government member in charge of the education department who is responsible for creating and implementing policies related to education sector. This role includes overseeing educational institutions, curriculum standards and policies ensuring educational development in the country.

Example sentences with  ministro de Educación
ministro de Interior
Minister of the Interior

The Spanish phrase 'ministro de Interior' translates to 'Minister of the Interior' in English. This is a governmental role similar to Secretary of the Interior or Home Secretary in other countries. The person in this position is typically responsible for policies related to homeland security, including emergency preparedness, national defense, and immigration. They may also oversee important departments such as law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and sometimes the postal service. The exact duties of the Minister of the Interior vary depending on the specific country's governmental structure.

Example sentences with  ministro de Interior
minoría étnica
ethnic minority

The term 'minoría étnica' translates to 'ethnic minority' in English. It is used to refer to a group of people whose characteristics in terms of race, nationality, or cultural heritage differ from the majority of a society. These groups may also possess unique social, economic, and political experiences linked to their ethnicity. The term typically acknowledges the diversity and multicultural nature of a society.

Example sentences with  minoría étnica
minoría religiosa
religious minority

The Spanish term 'minoría religiosa' translates to 'religious minority' in English. It represents a religious group that does not form the majority in a specific location or society. This term is often used within the sphere of socio-political and cultural discussions to highlight the diversity and inclusiveness of a community or country. In many places around the world, religious minorities are often granted specific rights and protections under the law to safeguard their freedom of belief and practice.

Example sentences with  minoría religiosa
minoría social
social minority

The term 'minoría social' in Spanish translates to 'social minority' in English. A social minority is a group of people, within a given society, who are in a non-dominant position. This could refer to a group who are disadvantaged or less powerful due to factors like race, religion, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. This term is used to denote such groups and is used in discussions related to social justice and equality.

Example sentences with  minoría social
minuto
minute

The Spanish word for 'minute' is 'minuto'. It is used in the same context as it is in English, to indicate a unit of time. The word 'minuto' is a masculine noun in Spanish, so when using it in a sentence, ensure that it agrees with other elements in the sentence.

Example sentences with  minuto
mirar
look

The Spanish equivalent for the word 'look' is 'mirar'. 'Mirar' is commonly used in everyday Spanish language. It is a regular verb and conjugates according to the subject and tense. For example, 'Yo miro' means 'I look'. It is often used in a range of contexts, such as asking someone to look at something, stating that one is looking at something, or discussing looking in the general sense.

Example sentences with  mirar
mirar de frente
look in front

The Spanish term 'mirar de frente' translates to 'look in front' in English. It is a phrase often used to indicate the action of directing one's gaze straight ahead, or to confront a situation directly without avoidance. Its usage can be both literal, as in looking in the frontal direction, or metaphorical, as in facing a problem head-on. This concept encompasses a broader scope in the Spanish language culture, often used in telenovelas and literature.

mirar de lado
look sideways

The Spanish phrase 'mirar de lado' translates to 'look sideways' in English. This phrase can be used in various contexts. It can be used literally to instruct someone to gaze in a particular direction away from the front. It may also be used figuratively to suggest a skeptical or suspicious look, or to imply that someone is observing something or someone in a clandestine or sly manner.

mirar en un diccionario
look in a dictionary

The Spanish phrase 'mirar en un diccionario' translates into English as 'look in a dictionary'. It is a phrase composed of three words. 'Mirar' is an action word, or verb, that means 'to look'. 'En' is a preposition that can carry various meanings such as 'at', 'in', or 'on'. 'Un diccionario' translates to 'a dictionary', with 'un' being a masculine singular article ('a' in English) and 'diccionario' is the noun being referred to which is a book or electronic resource that lists the words of a language and their meanings.

mirar en un libro
Look in a book

The phrase 'mirar en un libro' in Spanish translates to 'look in a book' in English. It is often used when someone wants to refer to the act of searching for or reading information within a book. It can be used in various contexts such as in an academic setting, library, bookstore or any place where books are utilised.

mirar fijamente
stare

The Spanish phrase 'mirar fijamente' translates to 'stare' in English. It is a verb which refers to look fixedly or intently at someone or something for a long time. It can also express the action of observing attentively or with fixed attention. In different contexts, it might be used to suggest various emotions such as curiosity, confusion, admiration, challenge, or disapproval.

mirar un mapa
look at a map

The Spanish phrase 'mirar un mapa' translates to 'look at a map' in English. It is a common phrase used in travel or navigation situations suggesting someone to view or consult a map for direction. The verb 'mirar' means 'to look', 'un' is an indefinite article equating to 'a' and 'mapa' means 'map'. Thus when you hear or see the phrase 'mirar un mapa', you are being advised to look at a map.

Example sentences with  mirar un mapa
mirar un plano
look at a plane

The Spanish phrase 'mirar un plano' translates to 'look at a map' in English. Note that in this context, 'plano' is used to denote a flat depiction or arrangement, i.e., a map. The very same verb 'mirar' is utilized to signify 'to look'. Thus, the phrase 'mirar un plano' is commonly used when one wants to instruct another to look at a map for navigation or understanding.

Example sentences with  mirar un plano
mirar un plano de metro
look at a metro plan

The Spanish phrase 'mirar un plano de metro' can be translated into English as 'to look at a metro plan'. This phrase gives the action of viewing or examining a layout or map of an underground, subway, or metro railway system to understand the different lines, stops, and connections. It is typically used in travel contexts when navigating around a city or place.

Example sentences with  mirar un plano de metro
miseria
misery

The Spanish word 'miseria' translates to 'misery' in English. It is a noun predominantly used in Spanish to express a state of great discomfort or distress due to poverty, lack of resources, or extreme unhappiness. Just as 'misery' can be applied in various contexts in English, 'miseria' bears similar multifaceted uses in Spanish.

Example sentences with  miseria
misil
missile

The Spanish word 'misil' translates to 'missile' in English. A missile is a weapon that is self-propelled and can be guided in flight. Missiles are used in military conflicts and can carry different types of warheads, such as explosive, chemical, or nuclear. They are launched from various platforms such as ships, planes, or land bases, and are used for various purposes such as attacking targets on land, at sea, or in the air.

Example sentences with  misil
misionero
missionary

The word 'misionero' in Spanish translates to 'missionary' in English. A 'missionary' is often associated with individuals of certain religious groups who travel to different parts of the world with the aim of spreading their faith or conducting humanitarian work. These individuals are often sent by a church or other religious organization to a foreign country with the aim of teaching their beliefs, providing aid, or otherwise serving the needs of the local population. The term can be applied to anyone who works to spread a set of beliefs or ideals, whether or not they are attached to an organized religion.

Example sentences with  misionero
mismo
same

The Spanish word 'mismo' is used to indicate that something is identical. We use it when we are referring to something that is not different or changes. For example, 'La misma chica' which means 'The same girl'. Yet it can also be used for emphasis, such as 'Yo mismo lo hice' translates to 'I did it myself'. The context of the sentence usually determines its precise meaning.

Example sentences with  mismo
mitad
half

The Spanish word 'mitad' translates to 'half' in English. It is commonly used in both languages to refer to 50% of a particular thing or quantity. It can be used contextually in phrases regarding divisions or fractions. For instance, one can say 'mitad de una manzana' which translates to 'half of an apple'. It is used exactly as 'half' is used in English.

Example sentences with  mitad
mobiliario urbano
urban furniture

The term 'mobiliario urbano' refers to the public installations and fixtures found in urban settings that are used by large numbers of people. Broadly speaking, these include different types of seating, waste bins, lighting fixtures, public restrooms, water fountains, mailboxes, signage, and more. This term also applies to outdoor artistic installations such as murals and sculptures. 'Mobiliario urbano' primarily exists for the benefit, convenience, and aesthetics of both residents and tourists in a city or town.

Example sentences with  mobiliario urbano
mochila
backpack

The Spanish word 'mochila' translates to 'backpack' in English. It is a common term used to refer to a pack that one carries on their back, typically made of canvas, nylon, or leather, and used for carrying things such as books, clothes, or other items. This word is most frequently used in a school or traveling context. The plural form of 'mochila' is 'mochilas'.

Example sentences with  mochila
modelo
model

The Spanish word for 'model' is 'modelo'. It could be a noun referring to a particular design of a product, or a representation of a specific situation, object or person. 'Modelo' is also used metaphorically to refer to a good or ideal example of something, whether it's a behavior, a thought process or a lifestyle. Just like in English, context plays a key role in determining what 'modelo' refers to in any given sentence.

Example sentences with  modelo
módem
modem

The Spanish word 'módem' translates to 'modem' in English. A modem is a device or program that enables a computer to transmit data over, for example, telephone or cable lines. In computing, modems are a crucial part of network communication, connecting a computer or local network to the internet. The word 'modem' itself is a portmanteau of two different words: 'modulator' and 'demodulator'.

Example sentences with  módem
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