sonarse la nariz
/sonaɾse la naɾiθ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "blowing your nose" is translated into Spanish as sonarse la nariz.
The phrase refers to the act of forcing air out of your nostrils into a tissue to clear mucus. In many contexts, the phrase is shortened to just the reflexive verb sonarse if the context of the nose is already understood.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb sonar (to sound/ring), the reflexive pronoun se (oneself), the definite article la (the) and nariz (nose).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, you use the definite article la instead of a possessive adjective like su or tu when referring to body parts used with reflexive verbs. While la nariz is singular, it is common and grammatically acceptable to use the plural las narices when describing the act of blowing one's nose.
How do you pronounce it?
/sonaɾse la naɾiθ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the possessive adjective su (his/her) instead of the definite article la when talking about body parts.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, blowing your nose loudly in public is considered much more impolite than it is in many English-speaking countries. It is often preferred to be discreet or to wait until you are in a private space.
- The verb sonar is a 'false friend' in this context, as it primarily means 'to sound' or 'to ring' like a bell or a telephone. To a beginner, it might sound as if you are claiming your nose is a musical instrument.
- The word nariz is a linguistic relative of the English word 'nasal'. Both terms can be traced back to the same Latin root, nāris.
Examples in context
- Por favor, puedes sonarte la nariz fuera de la sala.Please, can you blow your nose outside the room.
- No te olvides de mocarte antes de entrar al restaurante.Don't forget to blow your nose before entering the restaurant.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, nariz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
