abstracto
/absˈtɾaɡto/
The English word 'abstract' is translated into Spanish as abstracto.
The word is an adjective used to describe something that is apart from practice or reality and is not concrete.
Meaning: apart from practice or reality, not concrete (adj)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, abstracto must agree with the nouns it describes. Use abstracta for feminine singular nouns, abstractos for masculine plural nouns and abstractas for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/absˈtɾaɡto/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use abstracto to mean a summary of a paper. In Spanish, abstracto is only an adjective. You should use resumen or extracto when you need the noun meaning an abridgement or summary.
Did you know?
- In some legal contexts in Spanish, the term abstracto can refer to a type of obligation or promissory note that does not refer to the underlying cause of the debt.
- The term abstracto shares its DNA with the English word 'distract'. Both come from the Latin root meaning 'to draw' or 'to pull' in a specific direction.
- When discussing art, a Spanish speaker might describe a painting as no figurativo instead of abstracto to specifically emphasize that it does not represent recognizable objects.
Examples in context
- ¿Te gusta el arte abstracto?Do you like abstract art?This sentence is useful for asking about a preference for abstracto art.Tatoeba #10921777 by Eremon, translation #10856536 by Amastan
- Tom fue un artista abstracto.Tom was an abstract artist.This sentence is useful for describing someone as an abstracto artist.Tatoeba #10921774 by Eremon, translation #5788275 by Eccles17
- ¿Entiendes el arte abstracto?Do you understand abstract art?This sentence is useful for asking about the understanding of abstracto art.Tatoeba #10921776 by Eremon, translation #10856535 by Amastan
- El informe presentaba un enfoque abstracto sobre el tema.The report had an abstract approach to the topic.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a difficult philosophy topic.
- SofíaEste concepto es demasiado abstracto para mí.This concept is too abstract for me.
- JavierTienes razón, Sofía. No es nada concreto.You're right, Sofía. It's not concrete at all.
- SofíaNecesito un ejemplo real, no algo abstracto.I need a real example, not something abstract.
- JavierIntentemos buscar un caso práctico, Javier.Let's try to look for a practical case, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “abstract” translations and entries abstracto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abstracto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
