tapón mucoso
/tapon mukoso/from spelling rules
The English phrase "mucus plug" is translated into Spanish as tapón mucoso.
This phrase refers to the thick plug of mucus that seals the cervix during pregnancy.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tapón, meaning "plug" or "stopper" and mucoso, which is the adjective for "mucous".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term tapón mucoso is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun tapón is masculine, so the definite article used is el and the adjective mucoso must also be in the masculine form. To form the plural, both the noun and the adjective must take the '-s' or '-es' ending to agree in number, such as in los tapones mucosos.
Did you know?
- The word tapón likely shares a root with the Gothic word tappa, showing that the term for a 'plug' was borrowed into early Spanish from Germanic languages.
- The word tapón is used metaphorically in Spanish to describe a 'tapón de tráfico', which is a traffic jam.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the loss of the tapón mucoso is discussed not just as a medical sign, but as a traditional folk marker that labor is imminent.
Examples in context
- El doctor explicó cómo el tapón de moco debe salir antes del parto.The doctor explained how the mucus plug should come out before delivery.
- Mi amiga está embarazada y perdió el tapón de mucosidad esta mañana.My friend is pregnant and lost her mucus plug this morning.
- He expulsado el tapón mucoso.I have passed the mucus plug.
- El tapón mucoso es una señal de que el parto se acerca.The mucus plug is a sign that labor is approaching.
- ¿Ya perdiste el tapón mucoso?Have you lost the mucus plug yet?
- Mi doctor me explicó qué es el tapón mucoso.My doctor explained to me what the mucus plug is.
Example conversation
Sofía tells her partner about a change in her pregnancy.
- AlejandroSofía, ¿cómo te sientes hoy?Sofía, how are you feeling today?
- SofíaCreo que acabo de perder el tapón mucoso.I think I just lost the mucus plug.
- Alejandro¿Significa que el bebé ya viene?Does that mean the baby is coming now?
- SofíaPuede ser, pero aún no tengo contracciones.Maybe, but I don't have contractions yet.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mucoso, tapón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
