Have you ever been at a Spanish restaurant trying to order a slice of cake or bread but weren't sure which word to use? Do you know the difference between pedazo, tajada, and rodaja? Today, we'll explore the various Spanish words used to describe portions, slices, and pieces, along with their specific contexts and uses.
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Let's start with pedazo and trozo, two of the most common words for "piece" in Spanish. Both terms refer to a part of something that's considered separately from the rest. Let's see them in context:
Vamos a cortar en pedazos pequeños también la lechuga,
Let's also cut the lettuce into small pieces,
Caption 16, Ana Carolina Receta para una picada
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tengo también un trozo de limón.
I also have a piece of lemon.
Caption 34, Soledad Ensalada de alcachofa
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These words have also given rise to some common Spanish expressions. For instance, "ser un pedazo de pan" or "ser un trozo de pan" (literally "to be a piece of bread") describes someone who is kind and good-natured:
Cuando decimos que "es más bueno que el pan" o "es un trozo de pan", nos referimos a una persona buena, bondadosa.
When we say that [he or she] "is better than bread" or "is a piece of bread," we're referring to a good, kind-hearted person.
Captions 17-19, Beatriz Modismos con alimentos - Part 1
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Finally, in colloquial Spanish, "pedazo de" followed by a noun or adjective can be used to intensify its meaning. Let's see an example:
Qué pedazo de mina, ¿no?
What a hot chick, right?
Caption 33, Carlos y Cyndy Comentario sobre Muñeca Brava
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While tajada literally refers to a slice or portion cut from something (especially cooked meat or fruits), this word has developed some interesting figurative meanings in Spanish. Let's look at this clip:
Usted lo único que quería era quedarse con una tajada de eso
The only thing that you wanted was to keep a piece of that,
Caption 72, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 4 - Part 13
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In this context, tajada isn't referring to a literal slice, but rather to a share or cut of profits - often with a negative connotation suggesting questionable dealings. This usage is common in colloquial Spanish throughout Latin America.
The word can also be used more literally when talking about food portions:
si se llevan la tajada más grande del pastel.
if they take the biggest piece of the cake.
Caption 4, Andrés Manuel López Obrador Publicidad de TV - Part 2
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Additionally, in many parts of Latin America, tajada is commonly used to refer to fried plantain slices, showing how versatile this word can be.
The word rebanada specifically refers to a thin, wide, and long portion cut from something, especially bread, slicing from one end to the other:
Ahora esperamos que estén un poco frías; se le quita la concha y después se corta en rebanada.
Now we wait for them to cool down a bit; the peel is removed from it and then it's cut into slices.
Captions 54-56, Zully y Cleer Guisado de ternera
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When you need to describe a circular slice or wheel of food, rodaja is your word. It's commonly used for vegetables and fruits:
Cortamos el tomate en rodajas,
We cut the tomato into slices,
Caption 36, La cocina de Fermín Ensalada mixta
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For very small amounts, Spanish speakers use "pizca" (pinch):
También vamos a utilizar un... una pizca de vainilla,
We're also going to use a... a pinch of vanilla,
Caption 27, Otavalo Proyecto familiar Kawsaymi - Part 5
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1. For general pieces of anything: Use pedazo or trozo
2. For bread slices: rebanada is your best choice
3. For circular food items like tomatoes or onions: Use rodaja
4. For cooked meat or specific food slices: tajada works well
5. For tiny amounts of ingredients: Go with pizca
Remember that usage of these terms can vary across different Spanish-speaking regions. The key is to listen to native speakers and note which terms are most commonly used in your area.
We hope this lesson has helped you understand the various ways to describe pieces and slices in Spanish. Don't forget to practice these terms in context, and remember that, like many aspects of language, usage can vary by region. And don't forget to send us your questions and comments. ¡Hasta la próxima!
You are probably familiar with the Spanish word ahí (not to be confused with hay or ay), which is one of the ways to say "there" in Spanish. However, you may have noticed that it seems to be used frequently by many native speakers with different meanings, which aren't always easy to intuit. Let's explore many of the possible meanings of the common Spanish word ahí.
Like the English word "there," the Spanish word ahí can mean "in that place," "to that place" or merely "that place." When referring to physical location, the word ahí technically describes the closest distance relative to the other Spanish words for "there," allí and allá, but is often used interchangeably with the others. Let's take a look at some examples.
y lo dejaremos ahí hasta que hierva.
and we'll leave it there until it boils.
Caption 19, Ana Carolina Ponche navideño
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Entonces no sé si vamos ahí.
So I don't know if we [can] go there.
Caption 34, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 2 - Part 2
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In this usage, the word ahí is often preceded by a preposition, as we see here:
Y a veces, por ahí sale el calor del centro de la tierra.
And sometimes, the heat from the center of the earth comes out through there.
Caption 48, Guillermina y Candelario El Gran Descubrimiento
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When paired specifically with the Spanish preposition de, de ahí literally means "from that place" and works like the English word "hence" to refer to something that was said previously:
recordando a la cabeza de un ave; de ahí su nombre no científico.
reminding one of a bird's head; hence its non scientific name.
Captions 63-64, Isabel Lavesa Especies vegetales
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In this usage, the Spanish word ahí also references something that was previously mentioned and might be translated with "there" or other phrases like "that's when," "that's where," etc. Let's see two examples in context:
y veía a ese grupo y decía: "Che, ¿y nosotros por qué no?" Y de ahí nace la idea de empezar a juntarse.
and I saw that group and said, "Hey, and why not us?" And, from there, the idea of starting to get together is born.
Captions 41-42, Tu Música El Ensamble Latino - Part 1
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Y ahí me vino la inspiración de hacer un vídeo sobre los medios de transporte.
And that's where the inspiration came to me to make a video about the means of transportation.
Captions 9-10, Aprendiendo con Silvia Medios de transporte - Part 1
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The word ahí in Spanish can also work like the English word "then" to refer to a specific moment in time:
Ahí vamos a agregar nuestra, eh... panela en almíbar, se podría decir, ¿no?, o panela derretida.
Then, we're going to add our, um... panela syrup, you might say, right? Or melted panela.
Captions 49-50, Otavalo Proyecto familiar Kawsaymi - Part 5
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Let's look at this usage in the context of common fixed expressions in both Spanish and English:
De ahí en adelante las cosas empezaron a suceder con rapidez.
From then on, things began to happen quickly.
Caption 32, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 13 - Part 4
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The word ahí can also work like the word "maybe" or "perhaps," as we see below:
Y ahí voy a la fiesta mañana; no estoy segura.
And maybe I'll go to the party tomorrow; I'm not sure.
In addition to the many uses we just covered, the word ahí is also part of many fixed expressions in Spanish. Below you will find several with example sentences.
Just this one Spanish construction can have many different meanings in different contexts, aside from the literal one, "through there," which we saw previously. Let's take a look at several of them.
Maybe, Might:
Por ahí se preparan un asadito... no sé.
They might prepare a barbecue... I don't know.
Caption 56, Muñeca Brava 44 El encuentro - Part 8
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"They," "People"
Por ahi can also be used similarly to the impersonal se construction in Spanish to describe what "people" generally do, say, etc. Alternative translations for the caption below thus include "As they say" or "As people say."
Como dicen por ahí, todo tiene su ciencia.
As the saying goes, there's a science to everything.
Caption 20, Guillermina y Candelario El Manglar
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Around (Physically)
O... "Por favor, no lo dejéis todo por ahí tirado.
Or... "Please, don't leave everything scattered around.
Caption 19, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados del verbo dejar - Part 1
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Around (About/More or Less)
Él se hizo famoso por ahí de los años setentas
He became famous around the seventies
Caption 15, Guillermo el chamán La tecnología maya
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Vamos a cenar por ahí esta noche.
We're going to go out to dinner tonight.
¿Cómo está el proyecto? -Ahí va.
How's the project? It's coming along.
¿Cómo está tu hermano? Me dijeron que estaba enfermo. -Ahí va. Todavía no se encuentra muy bien.
How's your brother? I heard he was sick. -He's hanging in there. He's still not feeling very well.
This might be used when someone is at the door or calling you, for example, from another room.
A partir de ahí, comienza lo que serán veinticuatro horas de fiesta ininterrumpida,
From there, what will be twenty-four hours of uninterrupted partying begins
Captions 56-57, Días festivos La Tamborrada de San Sebastián
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Tenemos la Unidad Operativa de Punta Pirámide, que está ahí nomás de Puerto Pirámide
We have the Operational Unit of Punta Pirámide, which is very close to Puerto Pirámide,
Captions 21-22, Perdidos en la Patagonia Península Valdés
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y ahí mismo vamos a echar nuestra carne salpimentada.
and right there, we're going to put in our seasoned meat.
Caption 38, La cocina de María Estofado de ternera
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Quieta ahí.
Don't move.
Caption 28, Yago 2 El puma - Part 9
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That's all for this lesson on the many meanings of the Spanish word ahí, alone and in fixed expressions. We hope that it will help you to use it and understand it in different contexts, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments!
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