Wednesday 11 February 2015

Espada

Today's word is: "espada" = sword
In Spanish, “espada” is a feminine noun of Latin origin, the main meaning of which is sword, as in:
  • La espada del guerrero relucía bajo el sol (the warrior's sword glinted in the sunlight);

The noun “espada” is often used also as a masculine noun meaning a swordsman (in general) or a matador in bullfighting (in particular), as in:
  • El segundo espada es el más veterano (the second matador is the most experienced);


The plural form “espadas” is the name of one of the four suits in a Spanish deck of cards or ”baraja española”. An example of this could be:
  • Triunfan espadas (“espadas” are trumps);


A related noun is “espadachín” which in English could be a swordsman/ swashbuckler, as in:
  • ¿Te gustan las historias de espadachines? (do you like swashbucklers' stories?);


Some Spanish expressions with the word “espada” are:
  • A capa y espada (tooth and nail);
    • Defenderé lo mío a capa y espada (I will defend what is mine tooth and nail);
  • Blandir la espada (to wield the sword)
  • Ceñir la espada (to gird a sword/ to wear a sword on the belt)
  • Como la espada de Bernardo (expression used colloquially to describe something as useless)
    • Ese lápiz es como la espada de Bernardo (that pencil is useless)
  • Como la espada de Bernardo, que ni pincha ni corta (expression used colloquially to describe something as useless)
    • Ese lápiz es como la espada de Bernardo, que ni pincha ni corta (that pencil is useless)
  • Danza de espadas (sword dance)
  • Desnudar la espada (to unsheath the sword)
  • Entre la espada y la pared (between a rock and a hard place)
  • Espada bastarda (longsword)
  • Espada de Damocles (sword of Damocles)
  • Espada de dos filos (double edge sword)
  • Espada de esgrima (fencing sword)
  • Espada desnuda (unsheathed sword)
  • Espada larga (longsword)
  • Media espada (someone not at the top of his/ her profession -second rate)
    • Ese tipo no es más que un media espada (that guy is a nothing more than second rate)
  • Media espada (bullfighter not topping the bill)
  • Pez espada (swordfish)
  • Primer espada (someone at the top of his/ her profession)
    • Pedro es un primer espada en redes (Pedro is a top guy on networks)
  • Primer espada (bullfighter topping the bill)

Love-Spanish.com loves the word "espada" in the YouTube clip: Fito &Fitipaldis - Entre la espada y la pared (Videoclip oficial)

For more on the word "espada", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Espada

*NB 'Click' on the speaker icon next to the word “espada” in the link to hear the word pronounced.

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