cortar el césped
/koɾtaɾ el θesped/from spelling rules
To trim the lawn in Spanish is cortar el césped.
The phrase is used to describe the action of cutting the grass in a yard to make it shorter.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb cortar literally means 'to cut'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Latin American countries, you may also use cortar el pasto, as el pasto is frequently used instead of el césped to refer to the grass in a yard. The form cortar el pasto is considered an informal way to say 'trim the lawn' in many Latin American countries.
How do you pronounce it?
/koɾtaɾ el θesped/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, pasto originally referred exclusively to grass meant for animals to eat. In many Latin American countries, however, it has evolved to be the common word for a residential lawn.
- The word césped descends from the Latin caespes, which did not actually mean 'grass' but rather a 'turf-clod' or a piece of sod.
- Because cortar can mean 'to cut', 'to chop' or 'to interrupt', using it for a lawn is part of a wider linguistic pattern of using one verb for various types of dividing actions.
Examples in context
- Mi jardín está creciendo mucho y necesito que alguien corte el césped.My lawn is growing a lot, and I need someone to trim it.
- Necesitamos podar el césped de forma regular para mantenerlo en buenas condiciones.We need to trim the lawn regularly to keep it in good condition.
- Me toca cortar el pasto este fin de semana.It's my turn to trim the lawn this weekend.
- Asegúrate de recortar el césped alrededor de los árboles y las flores.Make sure to trim the grass around the trees and the flowers.
- ¿Puedes ayudarme a cortar el pasto antes de la fiesta?Can you help me trim the lawn before the party?
- Recuerda recortar el césped en todas las esquinas del jardín.Remember to trim the grass in all the corners of the garden.
- Tengo que cortar el césped este fin de semana.I have to cut the lawn this weekend.
- Necesito cortar el césped este fin de semana.I need to trim the lawn this weekend.
- ¿Puedes ayudarme a cortar el césped?Can you help me trim the lawn?
- Mañana voy a cortar el césped temprano.Tomorrow I am going to trim the lawn early.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are talking in their garden on a Saturday morning.
- LucíaDaniel, ¿tienes tiempo para cortar el césped?Daniel, do you have time to trim the lawn?
- DanielSí, Lucía, lo haré después de desayunar.Yes, Lucía, I will do it after breakfast.
- LucíaGracias, el jardín se ve muy desordenado.Thanks, the garden looks very messy.
- DanielNo te preocupes, quedará muy bien.Don't worry, it will look great.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cortar, césped, el, CC BY-SA 4.0.
