Se cortó la luz
/se koɾto la luθ/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "the power went out" is expressed as Se cortó la luz.
This phrase is used to describe both a temporary blackout and a complete failure of the electrical supply. You may also use Se fue la luz to express that the electricity went out, or the noun apagón to mean a blackout.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Se cortó la luz literally translates to "the light was cut", where luz (light) is used metonymically to refer to electricity.
Which one should you use?
While Se cortó la luz is a standard way to say the power went out, you can also use Se fue la luz, which uses the verb irse (to go/leave) instead of cortar (to cut).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, it is common to say hubo un corte de luz to refer to a blackout.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Se cortó la luz, the verb cortar is used in the third-person singular preterite to indicate a completed action in the past.
How do you pronounce it?
/se koɾto la luθ/
Did you know?
- The word apagón for a blackout comes from the verb apagar, which is used for everything from turning off a light switch to extinguishing a fire.
- The word luz shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'light', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *lewk-, which means 'to shine' or 'bright'.
- While Se cortó la luz sounds like the power was intentionally disconnected, it is used for random outages caused by storms or equipment failure.
Examples in context
- Se fue la luz en la oficinaThe power went out in the office
- Se cortó la luz en casaThe power got cut off at home
- Se fue la luz debido a un problema técnicoThe power went out due to a technical issue
- Hubo un apagón en toda la ciudadThere was a blackout in the whole city
- Llevamos sin luz desde hace dos horasWe've been without power for two hours
- Se cortó la luz de repente.The power went out suddenly.
- Avisa si se cortó la luz en tu calle.Let me know if the power went out on your street.
- No puedo estudiar porque se cortó la luz.I cannot study because the power went out.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are talking on the phone during a storm.
- Alejandro¿Estás bien, Sofía?Are you okay, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, pero se cortó la luz en mi casa.Yes, but the power went out in my house.
- AlejandroAquí también se cortó la luz.The power went out here too.
- SofíaParece que será una noche larga.It looks like it will be a long night.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, luz, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
