astillas de madera
/astiʝas de madeɾa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "wood chips" is translated into Spanish as astillas de madera.
The phrase astillas de madera is used both for small fragments of wood (like splinters) and for larger wood chips used in landscaping or industrial processes.
What does it mean word for word?
The word astillas literally means splinters or small chips of wood, while de madera specifies that the material is wood.
How do you pronounce it?
/astiʝas de madeɾa/
Did you know?
- The word madera shares a root with the Latin word māter, meaning 'mother'. This is because raw timber was seen as the 'source' or mother of all constructed things.
- The word madera is also used as a colloquialism to describe someone with innate talent or a 'natural' gift for a specific profession.
- While astillas de madera is universal, some regions in Latin America may use the word viruta specifically for the curled shavings produced by a plane or drill.
Examples in context
- ¿Podría traerme virutas de madera para el proyecto del patio trasero, por favor?Could you please bring me some wood chips for the backyard project?
- Me encanta el olor de las virutas de madera fresca en el bosque.I love the smell of fresh wood chips in the forest.
- Hay muchas astillas de madera en el suelo.There are many wood chips on the ground.
- Ten cuidado con esas astillas de madera.Be careful with those wood chips.
- Necesito limpiar las astillas de madera del jardín.I need to clean the wood chips from the garden.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are working in the backyard.
- Alejandro¿Ves todas estas astillas de madera?Do you see all these wood chips?
- MaríaSí, Alejandro, hay por todas partes.Yes, Alejandro, they are everywhere.
- AlejandroDebemos recoger las astillas de madera antes de cenar.We should pick up the wood chips before dinner.
- MaríaDe acuerdo, yo ayudaré con la limpieza.Okay, I will help with the cleaning.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries astillas, de, madera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
