durmientes
/duɾmjentes/from spelling rules
The English phrase "railroad ties" is translated into Spanish as durmientes.
The term durmientes is used in both technical railway engineering and general contexts to refer to the heavy rectangular blocks of wood or concrete that support the rails of a railroad track.
What does it mean word for word?
The word durmientes is the plural present participle of the verb dormir (to sleep), literally meaning "sleeping ones".
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form of the noun is durmiente.
How do you pronounce it?
/duɾmjentes/
Did you know?
- The word durmiente is also used in Spanish to describe a 'sleeper' sofa, creating a linguistic link between railway engineering and furniture.
- While durmientes is common in the Americas, the term traviesas is the standard term used in Spain, reflecting the way the beams lie crosswise to the tracks.
- Because durmientes is the present participle of dormir, a Spanish speaker might call a person who is fast asleep a durmiente as a play on words.
Examples in context
- Los travesaños de ferrocarril están hechos de concreto o madera.The railroad ties are made of concrete or wood.
- El tren se detuvo debido a un problema con los durmientes.The train stopped due to an issue with the railroad ties.
- Los durmientes de madera están muy viejos.The wooden railroad ties are very old.
- Necesitamos reemplazar todos los durmientes de la vía.We need to replace all the railroad ties on the track.
- Los durmientes de concreto son más resistentes.The concrete railroad ties are more resistant.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are looking at a train track.
- LucíaMira cómo están esos durmientes.Look at how those railroad ties are.
- MateoSí, parecen muy viejos, Lucía.Yes, they look very old, Lucía.
- LucíaCreo que deben reemplazar los durmientes pronto.I think they should replace the railroad ties soon.
- MateoTienes razón, Mateo está de acuerdo.You are right, Mateo agrees.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
