Ambular, the mystery word

Question

I've come across the word "ambular" about three times now and spanishdict doesn't have it in it's database. I also looked it up in my dictionary, wasn't there. Qué significa entonces?

Answer 1

He oído esos varias veces: un enciclopedia ambulante ( a walking encyclopedia, a person who knows a lot about whatever topic.) una farmacia ambulante ( a walking pharmacy, someone who carries a lot of medicine, band aids etc.) etc

thanks! Those are good ones - Cachai, SEP 24, 2009

Debe ser unA enciclopedia. :o Lo siento. - 003487d6, SEP 24, 2009

Answer 2

When all else fails with understanding a word, I look up the definition in Spanish.

http://es.thefreedictionary.com/ambular

ambular intr. p. us. Andar, ir de una parte a otra.

That dictionary is pretty useful. Plus, they have a nice little hangman game on the front page for a fun way to see random vocabulary words.

If you want a more authoritative source look it up online in the Real Academia Española (RAE) - Izanoni1, SEP 24, 2009

How do you type an 'ñ' when typing in a word on that site? - Jason_Bryant, SEP 24, 2009

Answer 3

This is one of the sentences I saw it in: El geógrafo es demasiado importante para ambular.

ambular intr. Andar, ir de un lado para otro. Es una voz poco usada. Meaning: 'The geographer is too important to be running back and forth." (waste his time)

Thank you! That's the answer I was looking for! I would vote you up but ummm. . . it was my answer. Thanks! - Cachai, SEP 24, 2009

Answer 4

ambular.

(Del lat. ambul?re, pasear).

1. intr. p. us. andar (? ir dando pasos).

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

In English it is to amble or ambulate, of course. If you use the wildcard feature in our dictionary you will get all kinds of words derived from the common base. (e.g. ambulancia)

I'll have always thought it meant to stroll (dar un paseo, vagar).

That could be on the right track. The context that I'm reading it in isn't really clear in my mind with that translation. - Cachai, SEP 24, 2009

I take it back, vagar makes sense. - Cachai, SEP 24, 2009

I think that it caries the connotaion of wandering aimlessly. (erratically was what I think errar was going for) - - 0074b507, SEP 24, 2009

Answer 5

It's not listed on dictionary.com, and it also does not appear in my American Heritage Desk Dictionary.

What is the context in which you saw this word?

I'm reading El Principito (great book for vocab!) and one sentence said. . . "El geografo es desmasiado importante para ambular" I tried the translation engine too. Nada. - Cachai, SEP 24, 2009

Oh heck. I thought it was an English word! - Goyo, SEP 24, 2009

hahahaha! I won't tell anyone. ;) - Cachai, SEP 24, 2009

Answer 6

¡Hola!, Cachai:

See this entry in "WordMagic Translation Software":

Ambular

Regards/Recuerdos

Moe

Answer 7

Ambular: errar (v), zanganear, trasladar

I'm not sure what zanganear means, but trasladar and errar have pretty distinct meanings. I'm not sure if I understand your answer. - Cachai, SEP 24, 2009