el significado
/el siɡnifikado/from spelling rules
The English phrase "the meaning" is translated into Spanish as el significado.
el significado is used to refer to the literal definition or significance of something.
Which one should you use?
While el significado refers to a literal definition or significance, el sentido is used when referring to the sense or direction of a word or the "sense" in which a statement is understood.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word significado is a noun and does not change its form based on the gender of the object it describes. It is always masculine as el significado.
How do you pronounce it?
/el siɡnifikado/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the noun significado when they should use the verb significar (to mean). For example, instead of saying "it has the meaning", you should say significa (it means).
Did you know?
- In Spanish, if you want to ask for the meaning of a word, you might use the phrase ¿Qué quiere decir?, which literally translates to 'What does it want to say?'
- While el significado refers to the definition, Spanish speakers use el sentido to describe the meaning of life as el sentido de la vida.
- In legal or highly formal Spanish, the word tenor is sometimes used instead of significado to refer to the general meaning or spirit of a document.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuál es el significado de la vida?What's the meaning of life?Tatoeba #2121236 by hayastan, translation #1772509 by CK
- Él no sabe el significado de la vida.He doesn't know the meaning of life.Tatoeba #2096277 by marcelostockle, translation #1570576 by fanty
- No sé cuál es el significado del odio.I do not know the meaning of hatred.Tatoeba #5129205 by albrusgher, translation #64799 by AlanF_US
- ¿Cuál es el significado de la palabra "amistad"?What is the meaning of the word "amistad"?
- ¿Qué significa "comprensión"?What does "comprensión" mean?
- ¿Podría explicarme el significado de esta expresión idiomática?Could you explain the meaning of this idiomatic expression?
- ¿Qué quiere decir "chido"?What does "chido" mean?
- ¿Me puedes explicar qué significa esta palabrita?Can you explain what this little word means?
- ¡Buena suerte!Good luck!
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are looking at a dictionary in a library.
- Alejandro¿Sabes el significado de esta frase?Do you know the meaning of this phrase?
- MaríaNo, no entiendo el significado.No, I do not understand the meaning.
- AlejandroDéjame buscar el significado en el libro.Let me look for the meaning in the book.
- MaríaGracias, Alejandro, eres muy amable.Thank you, Alejandro, you are very kind.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
