Tuesday 8 December 2015

Cuadro

Today's word is: Cuadro
Clase: sustantivo (noun)
Género: masculino (masculine)
Origen: latín (Latin)

In Spanish, “cuadro” is a masculine noun of Latin origin which is used generally to refer to something square or rectangular in shape or a painting/ a frame/ a chart or similar four-sided object, and is used as in:
  • Las Meninas es un cuadro de Velázquez ('Las Meninas' is a painting by Velázquez)
  • Una bici con cuadro de aluminio (an aluminium framed bike)
  • Ese cuadro muestra las temperaturas alcanzadas esta semana (that graph/ chart/ table shows the temperatures reached this week)
  • El segundo cuadro del primer acto de una obra de teatro (scene two of the first act of a play/ stage play)


The action word/ verb “cuadrar” is 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)




Some Spanish expressions with the word “cuadro” are:
  • A cuadros (pattern with squares)
    • Una camisa a cuadros (a checked/ tartan shirt)
  • Cuadro clínico* (clinical profile)
    • Un cuadro clínico muy complejo (a very complex set of symptoms)
  • Cuadro de distribución (distribution frame)
    • Esquema de cableado del cuadro de distribución (distribution frame wiring scheme)
  • Cuadro de instrumentos (control panel/ dashboard)
    • Se ha encendido una luz roja en el cuadro de instrumentos (a red light has come up on the control panel)
  • Cuadro de mandos (control panel/ dashboard)
    • Se ha encendido una luz roja en el cuadro de mandos (a red light has come up on the control panel)
  • Cuadro eléctrico (electrical distribution panel)
  • Cuadro flamenco (flamenco troupe -singers, dancers and musical instrument players)
    • La fiesta terminó con una actuación de un cuadro flamenco (the 'fiesta' was brought to an end by a flamenco troupe)
  • Cuadro plástico (live scene)
    • Cuadro plástico de la Virgen con el Niño (the Virgin Mary with the Baby Jesus live scene/ the Nativity live scene)
  • Cuadro sinóptico (summary table/ graph/ chart)
  • Cuadro vivo (live scene)
    • Cuadro vivo de la Virgen con el Niño (the Virgin Mary with the Baby Jesus live scene/ the Nativity live scene)
  • Cuadro médico** (medical team)
  • Estar hecho/ hecha un cuadro (to be really scruffy/ dirty)
    • Pedro está hecho un cuadro (Pedro is really scruffy)
    • María está hecha un cuadro (Maria is really scruffy)


Notes

*“Cuadro clínico is often used to refer to the set of symptoms typical of a given medical condition or illness
** “Cuadro médico is often used to refer to the team of doctors/ physicians in the staff of a hospital or a similar health care institution.



Practice listening to and using the word "cuadro" with the YouTube clip: 


Lucas Maciano - Tu camisa a cuadros


For more on the word "cuadro", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Cuadro

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

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