Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| cruzar | /kɾuˈθaɾ/ /kɾuˈsaɾ/ |
| atravesar | /atɾabeˈsaɾ/ |
| pasar | /paˈsaɾ/ |
Cruzar is used to describe the act of going from one side of something to the other. This applies to both physical movement, such as crossing a bridge and figurative actions, such as crossing a limit or crossing your fingers. Related to this, the noun cruce can refer to a physical intersection or the biological process of crossbreeding.
Which one should you use?
While cruzar is the standard verb for crossing a physical boundary or line, atravesar often implies moving through the interior of a space or a thick substance, such as a forest or a crowd. In colloquial speech, pasar is frequently used to mean crossing a street or a threshold, whereas cruzar is more precise.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico, the word cruz is often pronounced with the 'z' as an 's' sound.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Cruzar is a transitive verb and is typically used with a direct object representing the thing being crossed, such as la calle (the street).
How do you pronounce it?
/kɾuˈθaɾ/
When do people say it?
The expression cruzar los dedos is used to mean 'to cross your fingers'. Additionally, the phrase hacer la señal de la cruz is used to mean 'to make the sign of the cross'.
Did you know?
- In some contexts, cruzar can mean 'to exchange' words or looks, such as cruzar miradas to 'cross glances'.
- The Spanish word cruzar shares the same Proto-Indo-European root as the English word 'cross', originating from the root meaning 'to cut' or 'to separate'.
- Unlike in English where 'crossing' is often a noun for a pedestrian walkway, a cruce in Spanish more commonly refers to the intersection where two roads meet.
Examples in context
- Él sabe cruzar el río.He knows how to cross a river.This sentence shows how to use cruzar regarding a river.Tatoeba #3300697 by gianich73, translation #1751444 by Amastan
- Voy a cruzar mis dedos.I will cross my fingers.This sentence demonstrates the idiomatic expression to 'cross your fingers' using cruzar.Tatoeba #5106046 by don_ramon, translation #5105774 by Catriona
- Le vi cruzar la carretera.I saw him cross the road.This sentence shows how to use cruzar when crossing a road.Tatoeba #622350 by Shishir, translation #260130 by CK
- El simbolismo de la cruz es ampliamente reconocido en diferentes culturas.The symbolism of the cross is widely recognized in different cultures.
- Él cruza la calleHe crosses the street
- 49 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are standing at the edge of a busy street.
- MaríaMateo, ¿podemos cruzar por el paso de peatones?Mateo, can we cross at the pedestrian crossing?
- MateoSí, es más seguro cruzar por allí.Yes, it is safer to cross over there.
- MaríaNo veo el paso de peatones por aquí.I don't see the pedestrian crossing around here.
- MateoEstá justo al final de la calle.It is right at the end of the street.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cross” translations and entries cruzar, atravesar, pasar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries atravesar, cruzar, pasar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
