Thursday 28 March 2013

Escalera


Today's WOTD is: "escalera" = stair/ stairs
Image source: Google images



In Spanish, “escalera” or it's plural form “escaleras” is a feminine noun of Latin origin, which means stair/ stairs.



In addition, the Spanish noun “escalera” is not only often used to refer to a staircase or a stairway, but also:
  • In card games it is used to refer to five consecutive cards (sequence/ straight).
  • In Spain it is often used to refer to a bad haircut

A related Spanish noun is “escalón”, which is commonly used to refer to a step in stairs or a rung in a ladder.

The related action word/ verb “escalar”, which means to climb*.

*NB The Spanish verb “escalar” is seldom used in the context of 'walking up stairs'. A more commonly used verb in that context is “subir” (to go up).

Some commonly used expressions with the word “escalera” are:
  • Bajar la(s) escalera(s) (to walk down the stairs);
  • Barrer la(s) escalera(s) (to sweep the stairs/ staircase);
  • Escalera de color (straight flush- game of Poker);
  • Escalera de caracol (spiral stairs/ staircase);
  • Escalera de incendios (fire escape/ stairs);
  • Escalera de mano (ladder);
  • Escalera de servicio (service stairs/ staircase);
  • Escalera de tijera (stepladder);
  • Escalera doble (stepladder);
  • Escalera eléctrica (escalator);
  • Escalera mecánica (escalator);
  • Escalera móvil (escalator);
  • Escalera real de color (royal flush- game of Poker);
  • Subir la(s) escalera(s) (to walk upstairs);

Some examples of the use of the word "escalera" are:
  • También tengo una escalera, pero la tuya me gana (I also have a straight run, but yours beats mine);
  • Menuda escalera te ha dejado el barbero (what an uneven/ bad haircut has the barber given to you);
  • Por favor, bajar la escalera despacio (please walk down the stairs slowly);
  • Hay que barrer la escalera a menudo (the stairs have to be swept often);
  • Con una escalera de color sólo se gana a veces (with a straight flush you only win sometimes);
  • Bajamos por la escalera de incendios (we went down the fire escape);
  • Hace falta una escalera de mano para subir al desván (you need ladders to go up to the attic/ loft);
  • Bajamos por la escalera de servicio (we walked down the service stairs);
  • Tengo una escalera de tijera para tareas de bricolaje (I have a stepladder for DIY jobs);
  • Tengo una escalera de tijera para tareas de bricolaje (I have a stepladder for DIY jobs);
  • Bajamos por la escalera eléctrica (we went down on the escalator);
  • Bajamos por la escalera mecánica (we went down on the escalator);
  • Bajamos por la escalera móvil (we went down on the escalator);
  • Con una escalera real de color siempre se gana (with a royal flush you always win);
  • Subimos las escaleras de dos en dos (we climbed the stairs two at a time);

Love-Spanish.com loves the word "escalera" in the YouTube clip: Los destrampados- Broma de la escalera

For more on the word "escalera", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Escalera

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

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