palabra compuesta
/palabɾa kompwesta/from spelling rules
The English phrase "compound word" is translated into Spanish as palabra compuesta.
The term palabra compuesta is used to refer to a single word that is created by combining two or more existing words together.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word palabra is an unexpected relative of the English words 'parley', 'palaver' and 'parole'. All four descend from the same Latin root meaning 'speech'.
- Many palabras compuestas in Spanish can change meaning based on whether they are written as one word or two. For example, sacacorchos is a 'corkscrew', but saca corchos is the act of 'taking out corks'.
- While English often uses a space or hyphen for compound phrases like 'ice cream' or 'mother-in-law', Spanish frequently merges these elements into a single, inseparable word without any spaces or marks.
Examples in context
- bienestarWell-being
- lavaplatosDishwasher
- paraguasUmbrella
- lavadoraWashing machine
- rascacielosSkyscraper
- rompecabezasPuzzle
- No entiendo qué es una palabra compuesta.I don't understand what a compound word is.
- Escribe cada palabra compuesta en el cuaderno.Write each compound word in the notebook.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are studying grammar together.
- MaríaMira Mateo, 'sacapuntas' es una palabra compuesta.Look Mateo, 'sacapuntas' is a compound word.
- MateoTienes razón, María. Viene de sacar y punta.You are right, María. It comes from sacar and punta.
- María¿Conoces otra palabra compuesta?Do you know another compound word?
- MateoSí, 'lavaplatos' también es una.Yes, 'lavaplatos' is also one.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries compuesta, palabra, CC BY-SA 4.0.
