rincón y recoveco
/rinkon i ɾekobeko/from spelling rules
The English phrase "nook and cranny" is translated into Spanish as rincón y recoveco.
This phrase is used to describe small or remote places. If you want to express the specific idea of "every nook and cranny", use the phrase cada rincón y recoveco.
Meaning: small or remote place (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word rincón literally means corner or nook.
Did you know?
- The term rincón is a linguistic relic of the Arabic influence in the Iberian Peninsula, deriving from the word rukn.
- The word recoveco specifically emphasizes a 'twisted' or winding path, making the phrase rincón y recoveco suggest a labyrinthine space rather than just a small one.
- While rincón can describe a physical corner, it is often used metaphorically in Spanish to mean a sanctuary or a secret place of refuge.
Examples in context
- El detective revisó cada rincón y recoveco de la escena del crimen.The detective examined every nook and cranny of the crime scene.
- Limpia cada rincón del armario antes de organizarlo.Clean every nook and cranny of the closet before organizing it.
- Busqué mi llave por todas partes y no la encuentro.I searched for my key in every nook and cranny, but can't find it.
- Registraron todos los rincones de la antigua mansión.They searched all the nooks and crannies of the old mansion.
- Los aventureros exploraron cada rincón y recoveco de la cueva.The adventurers explored every nook and cranny of the cave.
- Buscó por cada rincón y recoveco de la casa.He searched every nook and cranny of the house.
- Limpié cada rincón y recoveco de la cocina.I cleaned every nook and cranny of the kitchen.
- Exploramos cada rincón y recoveco del viejo castillo.We explored every nook and cranny of the old castle.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are cleaning their new house.
- Javier¿Ya terminaste de limpiar todo?Did you finish cleaning everything?
- ElenaSí, revisé cada rincón y recoveco del salón.Yes, I checked every nook and cranny of the living room.
- Javier¡Qué bien! Elena, eres muy detallista.Great! Elena, you are very detailed.
- ElenaGracias, Javier, quiero que todo esté perfecto.Thanks, Javier, I want everything to be perfect.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rincón, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
