cortar el césped
/koɾtaɾ el θesped/from spelling rules
To cut the grass in Spanish is cortar el césped.
This phrase is used to describe the action of mowing a lawn using a machine or a manual tool. Unlike English, which has a specific verb 'to mow', Spanish uses the general verb cortar (to cut) for this task.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb cortar (to cut) and the noun phrase el césped (the lawn/grass).
Which one should you use?
While cortar el césped is the standard way to express this action, Spanish uses the general verb cortar rather than a single specific verb that exclusively means 'to mow' as English does.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Latin American countries, it is common to use the word pasto instead of césped, making the phrase cortar el pasto.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that you performed the action in the past, such as 'I cut the grass', use the first-person singular preterite form corté el césped.
How do you pronounce it?
/koɾtaɾ el θesped/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word césped is a direct descendant of the Latin caespes, which referred to a sod or a turf cutting used in ancient Roman boundary markers.
- While césped refers to a manicured lawn, the word pasto often refers to grass intended for grazing animals, though it is used interchangeably for lawns in many Latin American countries.
Examples in context
- Hola, necesito que corte el césped mañana por la mañana, por favor.Hello, I need you to cut the grass tomorrow morning, please.
- ¡Oye Carlos, corta el césped este fin de semana si tienes tiempo!Hey Carlos, cut the grass this weekend if you have time!
- Por favor, proceda a cortar el césped antes de nuestra próxima reunión.Please proceed to cut the grass before our next meeting.
- Haz el favor de cortar el césped hoy, ¡así podremos organizar un picnic en el jardín!Do me a favor and cut the grass today, so we can organize a picnic in the garden!
- Necesito cortar el césped este fin de semana.I need to cut the grass this weekend.
- Él va a cortar el césped por la mañana.He is going to cut the grass in the morning.
- ¿Puedes cortar el césped cuando termines?Can you cut the grass when you finish?
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking in the garden.
- LucíaJavier, ¿cuándo vas a cortar el césped?Javier, when are you going to cut the grass?
- JavierLo voy a hacer mañana por la mañana.I am going to do it tomorrow morning.
- LucíaEstá muy largo, deberías cortar el césped pronto.It is very long, you should cut the grass soon.
- JavierEstá bien, Lucía, lo haré mañana sin falta.All right, Lucía, I will do it tomorrow for sure.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cortar, césped, el, CC BY-SA 4.0.
