columpios
/kolumpjos/from spelling rules
The English phrase "swings" is translated into Spanish as columpios.
The term refers to seats suspended by ropes or chains from a frame that move back and forth. In Spanish, the plural form columpios is frequently used even when referring to the activity of swinging in general, similar to how English speakers might refer to "the swings" at a playground.
Which one should you use?
The noun Columpio is the translation for "swing" and refers to the apparatus itself, while columpios is the plural form.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form of the word is columpio.
How do you pronounce it?
/kolumpjos/
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'swing' for both a playground seat and a porch chair, Spanish usually reserves columpio for the former and uses mecedora for a rocking chair.
- In certain Latin American contexts, the term columpio can also be used metaphorically to describe something that oscillates or shifts unsteadily.
- While columpios refers to the playground equipment, some regions use the term vaivén to describe the rhythmic back-and-forth motion itself.
Examples in context
- Estaba en el parque, jugando en los columpios, cuando se le acercó un desconocido y le ofreció unos caramelos.I was in the park, playing on the swings, when a stranger came up to her and offered her some candy.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use columpios when describing playing in a park.Tatoeba #2285458 by Shishir, translation #9611544 by DJ_Saidez
- Jugando en los columpios, Sandra se cayó y se le cayó un diente. Después tuvo a su madre buscándolo por todo el parque porque decía que si no, no vendría el ratoncito Pérez.While playing on the swings, Sandra fell off and lost a tooth. Then she had her mother looking for it all over the park because she said that if they didn't find it, the tooth fairy wouldn't come.This sentence illustrates the use of columpios within a narrative about a child playing at a park.Tatoeba #10145572 by Shishir, translation #10367099 by DJ_Saidez
- ¡Me encanta columpiarme en el parque!I love swinging in the park!
- Los columpios del parque son muy divertidos.The swings in the park are really fun.
- Los niños están muy felices en los columpios.The children are very happy on the swings.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are at a local playground.
- Lucía¿Quieres ir a los columpios, Mateo?Do you want to go to the swings, Mateo?
- MateoSí, me encantan los columpios.Yes, I love the swings.
- Lucía¡Mira qué alto te mueves!Look how high you are moving!
- MateoEs muy divertido.It is a lot of fun.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
