cortacésped
/koɾtaˈθesped/
The English phrase 'lawn mower' is translated into Spanish as cortacésped.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of the verb cortar (to cut) and the noun césped (lawn/grass).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, cortacésped is the standard term. In many Latin American countries, cortadora de césped is more frequently used, while in some parts of Latin America, the term podadora is used for lawn mower.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form is cortacéspedes, where the accent mark is dropped on the 'e' of the second syllable.
How do you pronounce it?
/koɾtaˈθesped/
Did you know?
- In Mexico and parts of Central America, you might hear the word podadora used for a lawn mower. This comes from the verb podar, which actually means 'to prune' or 'to trim' branches and shrubs.
- Unlike English, where 'mower' is a noun derived from a verb, cortacésped is a 'verb-object compound'. This is a common pattern in Spanish for tools, similar to abrelatas for 'can opener'.
- The plural form cortacéspedes is a rare example where a written accent is dropped because the stress naturally shifts to the new syllable created by the suffix.
Examples in context
- Mi jardín siempre está impecable gracias al cortacésped que compré recientemente.My garden always looks impeccable thanks to the lawn mower I recently purchased.
- Voy a sacar la cortadora para mantener el césped bajo control.I'm going to bring out the lawn mower to keep the grass under control.
- Voy a tomar la podadora para arreglar el césped del jardín.I'm going to grab the lawn mower to fix the garden's grass.
- El cortacésped es nuevo.The lawn mower is new.
- Necesito comprar un cortacésped.I need to buy a lawn mower.
- El cortacésped no funciona.The lawn mower does not work.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are in the garden.
- Sofía¿Dónde está el cortacésped, Daniel?Where is the lawn mower, Daniel?
- DanielEstá en el garaje.It is in the garage.
- SofíaPerfecto, el césped está muy alto.Perfect, the grass is very high.
- DanielVoy a buscarlo ahora mismo.I will go look for it right now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cortacésped, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
