Spanish
Vocab Builder for commonly used words in Spanish.
cortar en trozos finos
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en trozos finos' translates to 'cut into thin pieces' in English. This phrase is commonly used in cooking instructions where ingredients need to be prepared and fractioned into smaller sizes. It could refer to chopping a variety of items, like vegetables, fruits, or meats, into small, thin pieces for a particular recipe. Proper usage of this phrase always involves some form of culinary context.
cortar en trozos gruesos
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en trozos gruesos' translates to 'cut into thick pieces' in English. This phrase is commonly used in cooking instructions or recipes where ingredients need to be prepared in certain sizes. The verb 'cortar' means 'to cut', 'trozos' means 'pieces', and 'gruesos' means 'thick'. Thus, when you 'cortar en trozos gruesos', you are instructed to cut something into large or thick pieces.
cortar en trozos pequeños
The Spanish phrase 'cortar en trozos pequeños' translates to 'cut into small pieces' in English. In this context, 'cortar' means 'to cut', 'en' refers to 'into' or 'in', 'trozos' translates to 'pieces', and 'pequeños' means 'small'. Thus, this phrase is often used in cooking instructions or when dividing something into multiple smaller parts.
cortar la carne
The Spanish phrase 'cortar la carne' translates to 'cut the meat' in English. It's a commonly used phrase in cooking and food preparation contexts. 'Cortar' specifically refers to the action of cutting or slicing, and 'la carne' means 'the meat'. Therefore, you would use this phrase when asking someone to cut the meat, or when giving instructions in a recipe, for example.
cortar la línea
The Spanish phrase 'cortar la línea' is directly translated as 'cut the line' in English. This could refer to the physical act of cutting a line or string, or it can also metaphorically mean to interrupt a sequence, usually in a rude or abrupt manner, just as one might disrupt the order of people waiting in a line. However, its usage, like many phrases, can depend on the context.
cortar una flor
The term 'cortar una flor' in Spanish translates to 'cut a flower' in English. It is a verb phrase used to describe the action of cutting a flower from its plant. This could be for various reasons such as to arrange in a vase for decoration, to gift it to someone, or for botanical studies and so forth.
Example sentences with cortar una flor →cortar una palabra
The phrase 'cortar una palabra' in Spanish translates to 'cut a word' in English. It is a two-part action involving removing a part of a word or ceasing to say a word. It is often used in the context of string manipulation in programming languages, or symbolically when discussing language and communication.
Example sentences with cortar una palabra →cortar una relación
The Spanish phrase 'cortar una relación' directly translates to 'cut a relationship' in English. This idiomatic expression is equivalent to the English phrase 'end a relationship'. It suggests terminating or breaking off a previously established connection or bond with someone, particularly in a romantic context. For instance, you would use 'cortar una relación' in Spanish when referring to ending a romantic relationship with someone.
cortar(se) la comunicación
'Cortar(se) la comunicación' is a phrase in Spanish that means to 'cut communication' in English. It is an action used to end or disrupt the interaction or exchange of information between two or more parties. This phrase can refer to various forms of communication, including, but not limited to, verbal speech, digital communication, or even non-verbal signals. The addition of 'se' makes it reflexive, which can further lend the sense of self-isolation or withdrawal from communication. This can be used both in literal and figurative contexts.
cortar(se) un dedo
The Spanish phrase 'cortar(se) un dedo' translates to 'cut a finger' in English. This can refer to accidentally cutting your finger with a sharp object such as a knife. In Spanish, reflexive verbs (indicated by 'se' in parentheses) are used when the subject and the object of the sentence are the same. In this case, 'cortarse un dedo' would mean 'to cut one's own finger'. This phrase can be used in various contexts, generally pertaining to cooking or any other activity involving sharp tools.
Example sentences with cortar(se) un dedo →cortar(se) una mano
'Cortar(se) una mano' in Spanish translates to 'cut a hand' in English. This phrase can be used in a literal sense, such as accidentally cutting one's hand while cooking, or to express a feeling of deep regret. For example, someone might say 'me cortaría una mano' to mean 'I would give my right hand' in English, demonstrating just how guilty or regretful they feel about something.
Example sentences with cortar(se) una mano →cortarse el pelo
The Spanish phrase 'cortarse el pelo' translates to 'haircut' in English. It is a compound verb phrase that literally means 'to cut one's hair'. In Spanish, reflexive verbs like 'cortarse' are used to express personal actions, so 'cortarse el pelo' refers to the action of cutting one's own hair, similar to how we use the term 'haircut' to refer to the act of having one's hair cut by another person.
Example sentences with cortarse el pelo →cortarse el pelo al cero
The phrase 'cortarse el pelo al cero' originates from Spanish and directly translates to English as 'cut hair to zero'. This phrase is used in Spanish speaking cultures to refer to a very short haircut, similar to what is known in English as a 'buzz cut' or 'shaved head'. It represents a haircut where the hair is cut extremely short, almost to the point of baldness, hence the use of 'zero'. It's often used in a more casual or colloquial context. Both men and women can 'cortarse el pelo al cero', but it's most commonly associated with men's hairstyles.
Example sentences with cortarse el pelo al cero →cortarse la comunicación
The phrase 'cortarse la comunicación' in Spanish refers to a situation where the communication is cut off or ended abruptly. It can be used in various contexts such as in a heated discussion where one party stops the conversation abruptly, in telecommunication when a signal or connection is lost, or even in digital chats when a message is blocked or not delivered. The phrase emphasizes the sudden and often unexpected nature of the interruption in communication.
cortarse la digestión
'Cortarse la digestión' is a Spanish phrase that literally translates to 'cut the digestion' in English. However, the actual meaning of this phrase is closer to 'to have indigestion' or 'to get a cramp'. It is often used to describe the uncomfortable feeling in your stomach, typically after eating too quickly, consuming heavy meals, or swimming shortly after having a meal. This phrase is a good example of how idiomatic expressions in Spanish do not always have a direct translation to English.
cortarse las puntas
The Spanish phrase 'cortarse las puntas' translates to 'cut the tips' in English. It is generally used in the context of hair care, where it may refer to trimming or cutting off the ends of the hair to get rid of split ends and promote healthier growth. This phrase may be used in a variety of contexts, though it primarily pertains to personal grooming and maintenance.
Example sentences with cortarse las puntas →cortarse las uñas
The phrase 'cortarse las uñas' in Spanish translates to 'cut the nails' in English. This is usually used in the context of personal grooming, where one trims the nails on their fingers or toes. Spanish-speakers would use 'cortarse las uñas' to say that they're going to cut their nails or that someone needs to cut their nails. Like in English, this can be used literally or figuratively to suggest tidying up or getting rid of something unnecessary.
Example sentences with cortarse las uñas →cortaúñas
The word 'cortaúñas' is incorrect's translation. In English, it translates to 'nail clippers' and not 'shorts'. 'Cortaúñas' are a handheld tool used to trim fingernails and toenails. They are usually made of metal and have sharp edges to cut the nails cleanly. This tool is a common item found in grooming kits and is a basic hygiene necessity.
Example sentences with cortaúñas →corte
In Spanish, the term 'corte' is often used in legal contexts similar to English. It could refer to a place where legal cases are heard and decisions made ('en el corte'), but it also has other meanings including a cut or incision, or a group of people attending a high-ranking person such as a monarch ('la corte real'). Like many words, its particular meaning can depend on context.
Example sentences with corte →corte de pelo
The Spanish phrase 'corte de pelo' refers to the act or process of cutting and styling the hair. It is commonly used in beauty and hair salons. In English, it translates to 'haircut'. This can be any form of hair styling where the hair is cut, such as a trim, layered cut, bob, or buzz cut. The phrase has the literal breakdown of 'corte' meaning 'cut' and 'pelo' meaning 'hair', which together form 'cut of hair' or more naturally, 'haircut'.
Example sentences with corte de pelo →cortesía
The Spanish word 'cortesía' translates to 'courtesy' in English. It implies a polite or considerate behavior towards others. It can be used in different contexts such as social behavior, manners, and respect for others. It can also refer to a polite act or expression. This term is widely used in social and formal settings.
Example sentences with cortesía →corteza de limón
The Spanish term 'corteza de limón' translates to 'lemon rind' in English language. Lemon rind is the outer, yellow layer of a lemon, specifically the part of the lemon’s peel that is typically removed with a grater or knife to be used in various food recipes or drinks, often as a way to impart a citrus flavor. It is known for its bright, fresh flavor that is more complex than the fruit's juice or pulp.
corteza de pan
The Spanish phrase 'corteza de pan' translate to 'bread crust' in English. This refers to the outer layer of bread that undergoes the most baking and usually ends up harder than the soft, inner part of bread.
cortina
The Spanish word 'cortina' translates to 'curtain' in English. It is commonly used in the context of home decor, particularly in living spaces like living rooms and bedrooms. Curtains are pieces of fabric or other materials that hang in front of windows or separate spaces, which could block light, sound, drafts, or anything else that you don't want to have in a particular space.
corto
The Spanish word 'corto' translates to 'short' in English. It can be used to describe a range of things from physical length or duration of something. It can also be used in context to refer to a short film or story (cortometraje), short hair cut (corte corto) or short pants (pantalones cortos). The exact connotation can vary depending upon its application in sentence.
Example sentences with corto →corto (metraje)
The term 'corto (metraje)' in Spanish translates to 'short (measure)' in English. It is commonly used in the domain of film and cinema. In this specific context, it refers to a short film or a movie that is significantly shorter than the average length of a feature film. This term can also be used in other contexts to denote something of short length or duration.
Example sentences with corto (metraje) →cosa
The Spanish word 'cosa' is used in a similar context as the English word 'thing'. It is used to refer to an object, idea, situation or a factual event. For instance, in the phrase 'What's that thing?' can be translated to '¿Qué es esa cosa?'
Example sentences with cosa →cosas
The Spanish word for 'stuff' is 'cosas'. Just like in English, 'cosas' is a general term that can refer to a variety of objects, materials, or topics. It is often used when the speaker does not want to specify or does not know exactly what they are referring to. For example, 'Tengo muchas cosas que hacer' translates to 'I have a lot of stuff to do'.
Example sentences with cosas →cosechar
The Spanish word 'cosechar' translates to 'harvest' in English. It is often used in the context of agriculture, where it refers to the process of gathering ripe crops from the fields. However, it can also be used metaphorically to express the result of any work or effort. For example, one can 'cosechar' the benefits of hard work. Like many Spanish verbs, 'cosechar' can be conjugated differently based on tense, mood and subject.
Example sentences with cosechar →coser
The Spanish term 'coser' translates to 'sewing' in English. Sewing is a craft that involves stitching fabric, leather, or a similar material, often with a needle and thread. It is an essential skill in many areas including clothing production and repair, upholstery, and various arts and crafts. The term 'coser' may refer to the act of sewing in a general context or more specifically to the action of using a sewing machine.