sentido único
/sentido uniko/from spelling rules
The English phrase "one way" (referring to a street with traffic moving in only one direction) is translated into Spanish as sentido único.
This phrase is used to describe a street or road where traffic is permitted to move in only one direction.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of sentido, meaning "sense" or "direction" and único, meaning "single" or "only". Literally, it means "single sense" or "single direction".
Which one should you use?
You may also use the phrase de sentido único to describe a one-way street. For highly formal contexts, the word unidireccional can be used to express the same idea.
Did you know?
- If a driver goes the wrong way down a sentido único street, they are said to be driving a contramano, which literally means 'against the hand'.
- The word sentido is used in Spanish to mean both the physical direction of a street and the mental capacity for common sense, as in sentido común.
- While 'one way' refers to a street, the word sentido in Spanish is also used to mean the 'sense' of smell, sight, hearing, touch and taste.
Examples in context
- La carretera es unidireccional en este tramo.The road is one way in this stretch.
- Cuidado, esa es una vía de sentido único.Careful, that is a one-way road.
- No puedes girar aquí porque es de sentido único.You cannot turn here because it is one way.
Example conversation
Mateo is driving Lucía through the city center.
- LucíaMateo, fíjate en la señal de la derecha.Mateo, look at the sign on the right.
- MateoAh, es verdad, esta calle es de sentido único.Ah, it's true, this street is one way.
- LucíaNo podemos seguir por este camino.We cannot continue down this path.
- MateoTienes razón, voy a dar la vuelta.You're right, I'm going to turn around.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
