cortar en
/koɾtaɾ en/from spelling rules
The English phrase "cut into" is translated into Spanish as cortar en.
You use cortar en to describe the act of dividing an object into smaller pieces using a knife or a similar tool.
Which one should you use?
While cortar means "to cut," adding en is necessary when you want to specify the pieces or segments being created, such as cortar en cubos (to cut into cubes).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the preposition en to indicate the resulting state or shape of the object being cut.
How do you pronounce it?
/koɾtaɾ en/
Did you know?
- The verb cortar can also describe the chemical process of a sauce or milk 'curdling' or 'separating'. This describes the liquid breaking into clumps rather than being sliced by a tool.
- In Spanish, cortar is used for things English speakers would not 'cut', such as 'cutting' the electricity or the water supply. In these cases, it means to interrupt or disconnect a service.
- The Spanish word cortar is a distant relative of the English word 'curtail'. Both words trace their roots back to the Latin curtāre, which means 'to shorten'.
Examples in context
- Por favor, corte el pan en pedazos.Please cut the bread into pieces.
- El científico dividió la muestra en trozos iguales.The scientist cut the sample into equal pieces.
- El chef partió la tarta de chocolate en porciones iguales.The chef cut the chocolate cake into equal portions.
- Mamá, ¿puedes cortar la manzana en pedacitos?Mom, can you cut the apple into little pieces?
- Voy a trocear algunas verduras para la cena.I'm going to cut some vegetables into chunks for dinner.
- Juan cortó el papel en trocitos para hacer una manualidad.Juan cut the paper into little bits to make a craft.
- Cortar la cebolla en trozos pequeños.To cut the onion into small pieces.
- Debes cortar en trozos pequeños la cebolla.You should cut the onion into small pieces.
- Voy a cortar en cubos la carne.I am going to cut the meat into cubes.
- ¿Puedes cortar en láminas el queso?Can you cut the cheese into slices?
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are preparing dinner in the kitchen.
- LucíaAlejandro, ¿puedes cortar en dados el tomate?Alejandro, can you cut the tomato into dice?
- AlejandroSí, Lucía, lo haré ahora mismo.Yes, Lucía, I will do it right now.
- LucíaGracias, necesito que los trozos sean iguales.Thank you, I need the pieces to be even.
- AlejandroNo te preocupes, quedarán perfectos.Don't worry, they will look perfect.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cortar, en, CC BY-SA 4.0.
