paso de cebra
crosswalk
The Spanish phrase 'paso de cebra' directly translates to 'zebra crossing' in English, but it is used to mean 'crosswalk'. It is a designated point on the road where pedestrians can cross safely. The term 'zebra' is associated with the white and black stripes painted on the road, which somewhat resemble a zebra's stripes. This is commonly used in Spain and many Latin American countries.
Example sentences using: paso de cebra
Por favor, cruza la calle en el paso de cebra
Please, cross the street at the zebra crossing
The example is an instruction, commonly used to denote where pedestrians should cross the street for safety reasons. The 'paso de cebra' refers to the zebra crossing, a type of pedestrian crossing, marked with white stripes resembling a zebra's pattern.
El coche se detuvo en el paso de cebra para que los peatones cruzaran
The car stopped at the zebra crossing for the pedestrians to cross
In this example, the passage describes a common scene in traffic, where a car stops at the 'paso de cebra', or zebra crossing, to allow pedestrians to cross the street.
¿Ves el paso de cebra? Ese es el lugar más seguro para cruzar
Do you see the zebra crossing? That is the safest place to cross
This is a typical question and advice one might say to children or people unfamiliar with traffic rules. It implies that crossing the street at the 'paso de cebra', the zebra crossing, is the safest option.