Sorry! Search is currently unavailable while the database is being updated, it will be back in 5 mins!

The Shapes in Spanish

Do you know the names of the shapes in Spanish? Today's lesson will teach you what the most basic Spanish shapes are called as well as the words for more advanced Spanish shapes and figures. Let's get started! 

banner2 PLACEHOLDER

How Do You Say "Shape" in Spanish?

Let's start with the basics! Listen to the following caption from the Yabla Spanish video library to hear how to say "shapes" in Spanish:

 

Puedes jugar con diferentes formas y colores

You can play with different shapes and colors

Caption 76, Manos a la obra Papel picado para Día de muertos

 Play Caption

 

Now, let's hear the Spanish word for the similar concept of "figures":

 

como los números o las figuras geométricas,

like numbers or geometric figures,

Caption 16, Carlos explica Vocabulario de las matemáticas - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

Basic Spanish Shapes

Next, we'll learn the Spanish names for the most classic shapes, including their definite articles, and hear them in context:

 

El círculo (the circle)

 

Vamos a marcar el círculo

We're going to mark the circle,

Caption 47, Maoli Calabaza de Halloween

 Play Caption

 

El cuadrado (the square)

 

se presenta como un cuadrado de ocho por ocho

appears as an eight by eight square

Caption 18, Aprendiendo con Carlos El ajedrez - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

El rectángulo (the rectangle)

 

Puede ser un cuadrado, un rectángulo.

It can be a square, a rectangle.

Caption 41, María Fernanda Hacer un turbante

 Play Caption

 

El triángulo (the triangle)

 

Obtendrás un triángulo.

You will get a triangle.

Caption 39, Manos a la obra Separadores de libros: Charmander

 Play Caption

banner4 PLACEHOLDER

Advanced Spanish Shapes

Let's move on to the Spanish words for some slightly more sophisticated shapes and hear them pronounced: 

 

El óvalo (the oval)

 

—podríamos decir que es un óvalo— 

we could say that it's an oval

Caption 49, Con Marta por Madrid La Plaza del Sol - Part 2

 Play Caption
 

El rombo (the diamond/rhombus)

 

Lograrás un rombo como éste.

You will get a diamond like this one.

Caption 45, Manos a la obra Separadores de libros: Charmander

 Play Caption

 

El trapecio (the trapezoid)

Interestingly, this word also means "trapezius" (the muscle) in Spanish as well as "trapeze," as in the following example, which we've included for pronunciation purposes:

 

como un número de trapecio,

as a trapeze act,

Caption 18, Circo Berlín Jose - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

El semicírculo (the semicircle)

 

"semicírculo",

"semicírculo" [semicircle],

Caption 74, Carlos explica Los prefijos en español - Part 7

 Play Caption

 

Polygons in Spanish

Figures with at least three but typically five or more sides and angles are called los polígonos (the polygons) in Spanish. Let's learn their Spanish names along with their respective numbers of lados (sides) and ángulos (angles):

 

El pentágono (the pentagon): 5 

 

El hexágono (the hexagon): 6

 

El hectágono (the hectagon): 7 

 

El octógono (the octagon): 8 

 

El nonógono (the nonagon): 9

 

El decágono (the decagon): 10 

banner PLACEHOLDER

Bonus Spanish Shapes

While not "official" geometric shapes, figures like the heart, cross, star, etc., are recognized universally as shapes and/or symbols. Let's learn how to say them in Spanish!

 

El corazón (the heart)

 

a hacer pancitos de corazón, pancitos decorados y este tipo de, de...

into making heart rolls, decorated rolls, and this kind of, of...

Caption 18, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Luis y el pan de muerto

 Play Caption

 

La cruz (the cross)

 

es la cruz de piedra.

is the stone cross.

Caption 16, Viajando con Carlos Popayán - Colombia - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

La estrella (the star)

 

y la estrella.

and the star.

Caption 27, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption

 

La flecha (the arrow)

 

con la punta bien afilada en forma de flecha,

with a well-sharpened tip in the shape of an arrow

Caption 32, Isabel Lavesa Dibujo en acuarela

 Play Caption

 

3-D Spanish Shapes

Do you know how to say 3-D in Spanish? You could say tridimensional (three-dimensional) or simply use the Spanish pronuncation of 3-D, as we hear here: 

 

Y las obras están sacadas de modelos 3-D del programa Google Earth.

And the works are taken from 3-D models from the Google Earth program.

Caption 24, El estudio De Julio Sarramián

 Play Caption

 

That said, we'll conclude this lesson with the names of several of the most common formas tridimensionales (3-D shapes):

 

La esfera (sphere)

 

El cilindro (the cylinder)

 

El cubo (the cube)

 

El cono (the cone)

 

¿podría ponerme un cono de chocolate por favor?

can you give me a chocolate cone please?

Caption 36, Málaga Calle Larios

 Play Caption

 

La pirámide (the pyramid)

 

en forma de pirámide invertida.

in the shape of an inverted pyramid.

Caption 14, Víctor en Caracas Centro comercial

 Play Caption

 

El prisma rectangular (the rectangular prism)

 

That's all for today. We hope that you have found this lesson on the names of the shapes in Spanish useful, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments. ¡Hasta pronto!

banner3 PLACEHOLDER

Signup to get Free Spanish Lessons sent by email



Spanish Vocabulary for the Winter Season

Do you know vocabulary to talk about winter in Spanish? This lesson should get you up to speed on Spanish terms to talk about all things winter... depending upon what part of the world you are in, of course!

banner2 PLACEHOLDER

Winter Basics

First off, do you know how to say "winter" in Spanish? Let's find out in a clip from our Yabla Spanish video library, which also mentions the name of the first of the winter months in Spanish:

 

En diciembre, empieza el invierno.

In December, winter starts.

Caption 25, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses

 Play Caption 

 

Now let's hear the pronunciation of the next three winter months:

 

Enero. Febrero. Marzo.

January. February. March.

Captions 2-4, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses

 Play Caption

 

Having said that, bear in mind that in countries in the southern hemisphere of South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), the colder, winter months are the opposite:

 

Junio. Julio. Agosto. Septiembre.

June. July. August. September.

Captions 7-10, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses

 Play Caption

 

Now that you know how to say "winter" in Spanish and the names of the various months in which it can fall, don't forget to learn or brush up on the terms for the additional seasons in Spanish

banner4 PLACEHOLDER

Names of Winter Clothes in Spanish

Of course, since some countries are warm year-round, what constitutes "winter clothes" varies depending upon where one lives, as Ana Carolina explains in the following clip:

 

El Ecuador, al igual que el resto de países latinoamericanos, se encuentra en la zona tórrida, es decir, que acá nunca cae nieve.

Ecuador, just like the rest of Latin American countries, is located in the tropical zone; in other words, snow never falls here.

Captions 34-37, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption

 

With this in mind, let's learn some vocabulary to describe Spanish articles of clothing in regions with colder winter climates:

 

el abrigo: the coat

las botas: the boots

la bufanda: the scarf

el gorro/el sombrero: the hat/cap

los guantes: the gloves

los mitones: the mittens

las orejeras: the earmuffs

el jersey/el suéter: the sweater

el traje de nieve: the snowsuit

 

Now, let's hear a few of these in a catchy proverb:

 

"En enero bufanda, abrigo y sombrero".

"In January, scarf, coat, and hat."

Caption 29, Aprendiendo con Silvia Dichos populares - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

More Winter Nouns

Next, let's go over several additional nouns that are often associated with the winter season:

 

la bola de nieve: the snowball 

el carámbano/el témpano: the icicle 

la chimenea/el hogar: the fireplace

el copo de nieve: the snowflake 

el esquí: skiing

el frío: the cold

el hombre de nieve/el muñeco de nieve: the snowman 

la nieve: the snow

el patinaje sobre hielo: ice skating

los patines de hielo: the ice skates

la pelea de bolas de nieve: the snowball fight

la pista de patinaje sobre hielo: the ice skating rink

la tabla de snowboard: the snowboard

la tormenta de nieve: the snowstorm

el trineo: the sled 

 

Let's listen to a few of these pronounced in excerpts from Yabla Spanish videos:

 

Sin embargo, la nieve y los muñecos de nieve

However, snow and snowmen

Caption 38, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption

 

Cuando tengo una pelea de bolas de nieve, tengo que llevar guantes.

When I have a snowball fight, I have to wear gloves.

Captions 13-14, Aprendiendo con Zulbany Piensa rápido - Part 1

 Play Caption

banner PLACEHOLDER

Winter Verbs:

Up next are some winter verbs for talking about sports, activities, and weather phenomena:

 

andar en trineo: to sled 

calentarse: to get warm

congelarse: to freeze

derretirse: to melt

deslizarse: to slip

encender una hoguera/un fuego: to build a fire 

esquíar: to ski

hacer frío: to be cold 

hacer snowboard: to snowboard

hacer un muñeco de nieve: to build a snowman

hibernar: to hibernate

lanzar bolas de nieve: to throw snowballs

nevar: to snow 

patinar sobre hielo: to ice skate 

resfriarse: to catch a cold 

 

To learn more ways to talk about catching a cold in Spanish, check out our lesson on sickness and health in Spanish. In the meantime, let's hear a few of these winter verbs in context along with some of our previously mentioned winter nouns:

 

La nieve es muy molesta cuando se empieza a derretir, pero también es muy emocionante cuando empieza a nevar.

The snow is very annoying when it starts to melt, but it is also very exciting when it begins to snow.

Captions 39-40, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 2

 Play Caption

y por la tarde encendíamos un fuego en la chimenea

and in the afternoon, we would light a fire in the fireplace.

Caption 55, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 3

 Play Caption
 

banner3 PLACEHOLDER

Winter Adjectives

Let's conclude by learning some wintery adjectives!

 

blanco: white

brillante/reluciente: sparkling, glittering 

gélido/glacial: icy, frosty

cubierto de nieve/nevado/níveo: snowy

congelado/helado: frozen, freezing, chilly, frosty

derretido: melted

encapotado/nublado/nubloso: cloudy

escurridizo/resbaladizo: slippery

frío: cold/chilly

fundente: melting

gris: gray, dreary

medio derretido: slushy

mojado: wet

neblinoso: misty, foggy

 

Let's hear two of these in context. Note that in the first caption, the singular masculine adjective níveo has been modified to the plural feminine form níveas to agree with the plural feminine noun las blancuras. This is due to the fact that there must be gender and number agreement in Spanish between adjectives and the nouns they modify.

 

Entre las blancuras níveas 

Among the snowy whiteness

Caption 38, Acercándonos a la Literatura José Asunción Silva - "Nocturno III"

 Play Caption

 

Si el invierno se hace helado me prendo

If the winter gets freezing, I turn myself on

Caption 11, Jorge Celedón, Vicentico Si Me Dejan

 Play Caption

 

That's all for this lesson, which we hope has helped you to feel more confident to talk in Spanish about many things you might do, wear, feel, or see during the winter season. For more seasonal vocabulary, be sure to check out our lessons on Spanish vocabulary for autumn, expressions for summer, and words for spring! And don't forget to write us with your questions and comments

banner4 PLACEHOLDER

Vocabulary

¡Felices Fiestas (Happy Holidays)!

Let's take a look at some holiday-themed videos to get in a festive mood! We'll also point out some similarities and differences between the ways in which this December/January época de fiestas (holiday season) is celebrated in the United States versus various Spanish-speaking countries.

banner4 PLACEHOLDER

La Navidad (Christmas)

As much of Spain and Latin America is Catholic or Protestant, most of the Spanish-speaking world celebrates la Navidad (Christmas):

 

Al fin y al cabo, la Navidad es una época en que los sueños se hacen realidad,

After all, Christmas is a time when dreams come true,

Caption 32, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 10 - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

That said, different Spanish-speaking countries have different ways of kicking off the Christmas season. In Colombia, it starts quite early: 

 

Pero oficialmente celebramos la Navidad el siete de diciembre que es El día de las velitas o del alumbrado.

But we officially celebrate Christmas on December seventh, which is the Day of the Little Candles or Lighting [Day].

Captions 20-21, Cleer y Lida La Navidad en Colombia

 Play Caption

 

This clip is from the video La Navidad en Colombia (Christmas in Colombia), which we recommend you tune into to learn more about Colombian Christmas traditions. Las novenas is another festivity celebrated during this season in Colombia and other countries, and it marks the kickoff of Ecuador's Christmas celebrations:

 

Novena significa "nueve", de "nueve días". Por eso se le ora y se le canta del dieciésis de diciembre al veinticuatro.

"Novena" means "nine," from "nine days." That's why it's prayed and sung to on December sixteenth to the twenty-fourth.

Captions 29-31, Cleer y Lida La Navidad en Colombia

 Play Caption

 

In this clip, Cleer and Lida describe the tradition of praying to a pesebre (Nativity scene), which Ana Carolina explains more in detail in her video Símbolos de Navidad (Symbols of Christmas). Let's now move on to the Basque Country in Spain, where the La Feria de Santo Tomás inaugurates the Christmas season:

 

Esta feria es la que marca el inicio de la Navidad en varias ciudades del País Vasco,

This fair is the one that marks the beginning of Christmas in several cities in the Basque Country,

Captions 8-9, Viajando con Fermín La Feria de Santo Tomás

 Play Caption

banner2 PLACEHOLDER

La Nochebuena (Christmas Eve)

Although people from the United States tend to celebrate el 25 de diciembre (December 25th), or Christmas, as the season's main day, el 24 de diciembre (December 24th), or la Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), is the most important day in many Latin American countries, and often the day when los regalos se intercambian (presents are exchanged):

 

Solo un día y sería Nochebuena. Y siempre había que hacer una compra de última hora.

Just one more day and it would be Christmas Eve. And there was always a last-minute purchase to make.

Captions 40-41, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 10 - Part 5

 Play Caption

 

Los regalos (Presents)

On the topic of presents, many people receive presents from their families, of course, but also from other popular characters that differ from country to country. One such character is Papá Noel (Santa Claus), who is also known as Viejito Pasquero in countries like Chile. And speaking of Santa, we invite you to see this video on a jolly Santa from Venezuela:

 

ho ho ho, los quiero muchísimo. 

ho, ho, ho, I love you guys very much.

Caption 42, Víctor en Caracas Santa Claus

 Play Caption

 

In Colombia, it is El Niño Dios or El Niño Jesús (Baby Jesus) who leaves presents under the tree for children, whereas Spanish children receive most of their gifts after Christmas on a holiday called el Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day) on el seis de enero (January sixth). 

 

Y... ¿qué les vas a pedir a los Reyes Magos después de Navidad?

And.... what are you going to ask the Three Wise Men for after Christmas?

Caption 56, El Aula Azul Ester y Paula

 Play Caption

 

Símbolos y costumbres de Navidad (Christmas Customs and Symbols)

Many costumbres navideñas (Christmas traditions) and símbolos (symbols) overlap in the United States and Spanish-speaking countries. These include, of course, los árboles de Navidad (Christmas trees)!

 

Este es mi árbol de Navidad, el símbolo más popular alrededor del mundo de esta festividad.

This is my Christmas tree, the most popular symbol of this celebration around the world.

Captions 21-22, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption

 

These also include la nieve (snow)... even in the tropics (which is probably because Santa lives at el Polo Norte (the North Pole)! 

 

Sin embargo, la nieve y los muñecos de nieve se han convertido en uno de los temas principales con los que festejamos la Navidad,

However, snow and snowmen have become one of the main themes with which we celebrate Christmas,

Captions 38-40, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption

 

Charitable activities are also popular during Christmas in both North and Latin America and Spain, as Diana Quintana tells us in her video En Navidad regalamos una sonrisa (At Christmas, We Give the Gift of A Smile).

banner PLACEHOLDER

Comidas navideñas (Christmas Foods) and Villancicos (Carols) 

Of course, food is part of the Christmas celebration everywhere, although what is eaten varies from country to country. While many North Americans eat a meal very similar to the Thanksgiving feast for Christmas, each country gives la cena de Navidad (Christmas dinner) its own unique twist.

 

The same is true of traditional holiday fare, and to get a few ideas, we invite you to watch Ana Carolina make her version of eggnog, el ponche navideño (Christmas Punch), while Luis is eager to show you Venezuela's traditional Christmas pan de jamón (ham bread). You can also learn to make buñuelos, a popular Colombian holiday dessert, which Lida and Cleer prepare while singing a villancico (Christmas carol). 

 

And, on the topic of Christmas carols, Yabla has quite a few for you, including the Spanish versions of Jingle BellsSilent Night, and Santa Claus is Coming to Town (by none other than Luis Miguel!), as well as A la Nanita Nana and Campana sobre campana (Bell Over Bell). You might also want to check out Christmas pop hits like Estoy buscando a Santa Claus (I'm Looking for Santa Claus) and the classic Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas) by La Oreja de Van Gogh.

 

While traditions like food and carols overlap, other traditions are more specific to the Spanish-speaking world, and to learn more about them, we invite you to read this lesson on Christmas Vocabulary in Spanish.

 

Hanukkah

Of course, a significant portion of the Spanish-speaking world is Jewish and thus celebrates Hanukkah rather than Christmas, a holiday that shares the gift-giving tradition as well:

 

Y aunque no es la versión hebrea de la Navidad, los niños reciben regalos, y la comunidad celebra en hermandad. 

And, although it's not the Jewish version of Christmas, the children receive gifts, and the community celebrates in brotherhood.

Captions 5-7, Días festivos Hanukkah

 Play Caption
 

To learn more about this celebration, Yabla recommends this video on the meaning behind Hanukkah

 

In closing, whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or anything else, we'll leave you with the following:

 

¡Feliz Navidad, Felices Fiestas, Feliz Año

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!

Caption 68, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption

 

 And don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.

banner4 PLACEHOLDER

Todos los Significados (All the Meanings) of the Word Todo in Spanish

In this lesson, we're going to look at todos los usos y significados (all of the uses and meanings) of the word todo in Spanish. Well, maybe not all of them... but a lot!

banner2 PLACEHOLDER

What Part of Speech is the Word Todo in Spanish?

Primero que todo (first of all), we'd like to say that the Spanish word todo and its feminine and plural equivalents have many meanings including "all," "whole," "every," "each," "everyone," and more, depending upon the context in which they are utilized. Actually, while todo and its alternate forms most commonly function as an adjective or a pronoun, they can also function as an adverb or even a noun. Let's examine how this word works in each of these cases, its various translations into English, and several idiomatic expressions that employ it. 

 

Todo as an Adjective

Let's recall that an adjective modifies, or describes, a noun. When the word todo functions as an adjective, it must agree in number and gender with the noun it modifies. We must thus choose between its masculine singular (todo), masculine plural (todos), feminine singular (toda) or feminine plural (todas) forms, placing it either directly in front of either a noun, a noun's direct article, or a possessive adjective. Let's look at some examples:

 

No, en España, el español se parece mucho en todo el país.

No, in Spain, Spanish is a lot alike in the whole country.

Captions 5-6, Carlos y Xavi Part 4 Tradiciones y comida de Barcelona

 Play Caption

 

Although the literal translation of todo el país would be "all the country," common ways to say todo el in English include "the whole" or "the entire." Thus, an alternative translation for this sentence might be: "No, in Spain, Spanish is a lot alike in the entire country." Let's look at an additional example:

 

La asistente le dará una tarjeta con toda la información

The assistant will give you a card with all the information

Caption 42, Cita médica La cita médica de Cleer - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

Note that in this example, the feminine singular form toda has the more straightforward translation "all." Let's move on to some plural examples:

 

Invitamos a todos sus amigos al karaoke

We invite all her friends to karaoke

Caption 44, Blanca y Mariona Planificación de cena

 Play Caption

 

Note that while, in the sentence above, the plural form is translated to "all," in other cases, it can be translated as "every":

 

Salimos todas las noches.

We go out every night.

Caption 20, Clara y Cristina Hablan de actividades

 Play Caption

 

In other cases, either translation could suffice:

 

Feliz tarde, amigos de Yabla de todos los países del mundo.

Happy afternoon, Yabla friends from every country in the world.

Caption 2, Adícora, Venezuela El tatuaje de Rosana

 Play Caption

 

An alternative translation could, of course, be: "Happy afternoon, Yabla friends from all the countries in the world."

 

Todo as a Pronoun

The definition of a pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. Hence, when the word todo is used a pronoun in Spanish, it must match the number/gender of the noun to which it refers. Let's look at a simple example: 

 

¿Cuá​nta torta comiste? -Me la comí toda.

How much cake did you eat? -I ate it all

But:

 

¿Cuá​ntos caramelos comiste? -Todos.

How much candies did you eat? -All of them. 

 

Let's take a look at an example from the Yabla video library where todas replaces a plural feminine noun (las estaciones/the seasons):

 

Creo que es la mejor estación de todas

I think that it's the best season of all.

Caption 22, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 1

 Play Caption
 

Todo on its own is also the equivalent of the English word "everything":

 

Sí, Lucio me cuenta todo.

Yes, Lucio tells me everything.

Caption 30, Yago 12 Fianza - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

The plural todos, on the other hand, means "everybody" or "everyone":

 

porque es información nueva para todos.

because it's new information for everyone.

Caption 60, Clase Aula Azul Información con subjuntivo e indicativo - Part 4

 Play Caption

 

In fact, the title of a recent Yabla video, Todo es de todos (Everything Belongs to Everyone) employs both of those terms. However, note the difference in translation for todos in the following example:

 

¿De ahí saldrá el aguacate que todos conocemos? -Claro. 

The avocado that we all know will come from there? -Sure.

Caption 57, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 17

 Play Caption

 

Although "The avocado that everyone knows will come from there?" could be a viable translation, the fact that the verb conocer (to know) has been translated in the first person plural (nosotros/"we") form makes "we all" a legitimate (and perhaps more explanatory) translation. 

 

Todo as an Adverb

When todo functions as an adverb, it is typically used to make emphatic statements. Possible translations include "really," "completely," "all," or "totally." For example, one might say: El chico se veía todo lindo (The guy looked really good) or Mi habitación está toda desordenada (My room is totally messy). Let's look at an example from the Yabla video library:

 

¡Yo te vi, yo te vi toda llena de barro!

I saw you! I saw you all covered in mud!

Caption 41, Yago 3 La foto - Part 5

 Play Caption

 

Todo as a Noun

As a noun, el todo means "the whole" and can be seen in the translation for Aristotle's famous sentence:

 

El todo es más que la suma de las partes.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

 

banner4 PLACEHOLDER

Top Ten Common Spanish Expressions with Forms of the WordTodo

And speaking of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, let's examine some common Spanish idioms that include forms of the word todo with meanings beyond their literal words.

 

1Todo el mundo

While todo el mundo literally means "all the world" or "the whole/entire world," this phrase is an extremely common way of expressing the idea of "everybody" or "everyone" in Spanish:

 

Todo el mundo puede tocar el tambor donde, cuando y como quiera- mayores, niños, mujeres,

Everybody can play the drum wherever, whenever, and however they want- older people, children, women,

Captions 47-49, Viernes Santo en Tobarra ¡La Cuna del Tambor! - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

2. Todo el día

Literally "all the day," the notion of "all day" is encompassed by the Spanish expression todo el día:

 

¿Todo el día? El tiempo que quieras.

All day? As long as you want.

Captions 103-104, Alan x el mundo Mi playa favorita de México! - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

3. Todos los días

The plural form todos los días ("all the days"), on the other hand, means "every day":

 

Además, la vemos todos los días.

Besides, we see it every day.

Caption 11, Guillermina y Candelario Una aventura extrema - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

4. Sobre todo

Like it sounds, the Spanish phrase sobre todo can indeed mean "above all" or "above everything." Additional, frequent translations include "mostly," "mainly," and "especially":

 

Primero, sobre todo si es tu primera tarjeta de crédito, eh... es recomendable que el... que el límite no sea mayor a tus ingresos. 

First, especially if it is your first credit card, um... it is recommendable for the... for the limit not to be greater than your income.

Captions 51-52, Cuentas claras Sobreviviendo enero - Part 3

 Play Caption
 

5. En todo caso 

Even though the literal meaning of en todo caso is "in all case," it is the Spanish equivalent of the English expression "in any case":
 

En todo caso, espero que a partir de hoy, se sientan más cómodos usando las redes sociales en español.

In any case, I hope that starting from today, you feel more comfortable using social networks in Spanish.

Captions 53-54, Carlos explica Internet y lenguaje digital: Redes sociales

 Play Caption

 

6. Por todos lados 

Por todos lados might seem to mean "around all sides," but it really means "everywhere": 

 

Mili, ¿Dónde estabas? Te estuve buscando por todos lados.

Mili, where were you? I was looking for you everywhere.

Caption 16, Muñeca Brava 45 El secreto - Part 10

 Play Caption

 

7. De todas formas

De todas formas in Spanish means not "of all shapes," but is rather a manner of saying "anyway":

 

Bueno, de todas formas, mire, el tipo se está haciendo pasar por Pierre Bernard.

Well, anyway, look, the guy is posing as Pierre Bernard.

Caption 7, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 1 - Part 8

 Play Caption

 

The similar Spanish expressions de todas maneras and de todos modos also mean "anyway," "anyhow," or "in any case." 

 

8. De todo

The phrase de todo ("of everything") is another way to say "everything" in Spanish:

 

Aquí tiene de todo, perro, oveja...

Here, they have everything: [a] dog, sheep...

Caption 1, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 6

 Play Caption

 

9. Del todo

Del todo ("of the whole"), on the other hand, means "completely" or "entirely"':

 

Quizás l'... la relación más equilibrada que yo he buscado no ha pasado del todo y ahora me siento un poquito sola

Maybe th'... the more balanced relationship that I've looked for hasn't completely happened, and now I feel a little bit lonely

Captions 19-20, El reencuentro Las amigas hablan del trabajo y el amor.

 Play Caption

 

For additional examples of this expression and more, we recommend the lesson En absoluto, de ninguna manera, del todo.

 

10. Todo recto

And finally, if you want to tell someone to go "straight ahead," todo recto (literally "all straight") is the way to go in Spanish:

 

Tiene que ir todo recto. -Sí.

You have to go straight ahead. -Yes.

Caption 17, Curso de español ¿Hay una escuela por aquí?

 Play Caption

banner4 PLACEHOLDER

These are just a smattering of the many Spanish expressions that incorporate forms of todo that can be heard in everyday Spanish. ¡Sería imposible nombrarlos todos (It would be imposible to name them all)! That said:

 

Eso es todo por hoy, amigos. 

That's all for today, friends.

Caption 56, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption
 

For additional information on expressions that include the Spanish word todo, we recommend the additional lesson When Nada (Nothing) is Todo (Everything). In the meantime, gracias por todo (thanks for everything), and don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.

 

Signup to get Free Spanish Lessons sent by email