Friday 18 December 2015

Cuadra

Today's word is: Cuadra
Clase: sustantivo (noun)
Género: femenino (feminine)
Origen: latín (Latin)


In Spanish, “cuadra” is a feminine noun of Latin origin with related meanings, such as, stable , pigsty or even something which is a real mess or a shambles, and is used as in:
  • Los caballos están en la cuadra (the horses are in the stable)
  • Tu habitación parece una cuadra (your room is like pigsty/ is a real mess/ a shambles)


The noun “cuadra” could also mean a unit of length equivalent to a quarter of a mile


In the Americas, the noun “cuadra” could have other meanings:
  • In many countries, a block , that is an area or group of buildings bounded by intersecting streets in a city, is a “cuadra”:
    • El banco está a dos cuadras (the bank is two blocks away)
  • In some countries, a distance of approximately 100-150 metres, (the actual distance varies from country to country) could also be a “cuadra
  • In Uruguay , a “cuadra” could be the oven(s) room in a bakery facility,




Also a related word is the noun, “cuadro


The action word/ verb “cuadrar” is also a related word meaning to square, to balance, to add up, and is used as in:
  • Las cuentas no cuadran* (the sums don't add up)


A Spanish expression with the word “cuadra” is:
  • Mozo de cuadra (stable lad/ stable boy)
    • Se busca mozo de cuadra (stable lad/ boy required)


Notes

*The expression could be used:
  • In a literal sense -when errors/ discrepancies cause an account not to balance
  • In a figurative sense when referring to inconsistencies


Love-Spanish.com loves the word "cuadra" in the YouTube clip: Rebelión en la cuadra - Revanchistas en TheRoxy (Quilmes)


For more on the word "cuadra", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Cuadra

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

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