pozos de brea
/poθos de bɾea/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'tar pits' is translated into Spanish as pozos de brea.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of pozos (pits/wells) and de brea (of tar/bitumen).
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form of the phrase is pozo de brea.
How do you pronounce it?
/poθos de bɾea/
Did you know?
- The word pozo can refer to a deep pit, but in a colloquial sense, estar en el pozo means to be in a deep depression or a state of despair.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, brea is used metaphorically to describe a very sticky or difficult situation that is hard to escape.
- In nautical Spanish, brear refers specifically to the ancient practice of sealing the seams of a wooden ship with tar to make it waterproof.
Examples in context
- Quiero visitar los pozos de asfalto de La Brea en Los ÁngelesI want to visit the asphalt pits of La Brea in Los Angeles
- Los paleontólogos estudian los restos fósiles encontrados en los pozos de alquitránPaleontologists study the fossil remains found in the tar pits
- Cuidado con esos pozos de brea.Watch out for those tar pits.
- Los pozos de brea son muy peligrosos.The tar pits are very dangerous.
- Vimos unos pozos de brea en el parque.We saw some tar pits in the park.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are visiting a natural history museum.
- LucíaMira, Mateo, estos son los pozos de brea.Look, Mateo, these are the tar pits.
- MateoIncreíble, ¿qué animales quedaron atrapados allí?Incredible, what animals got trapped there?
- LucíaMuchos mamíferos antiguos vivieron aquí.Many ancient mammals lived here.
- MateoEs un lugar muy interesante, Lucía.It is a very interesting place, Lucía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
