Home
Q&A
La Palabra del Día; abarcar

La Palabra del Día; abarcar

15
votes

{abarcar) (transitive verb) to cover, to include, to embrace; to be able to see, to have a view of

Post your sentences in Spanish and English, then vote for the ones you like. The best answer will be chosen tomorrow on the basis of the greatest number of votes and language correctness.

.

And don't forget to correct your posts as suggested. Do NOT use subject pronouns!

Desde la ventana de la sala se abarca todo el estanque.

From the living room window all the pond can be seen.

alt text

13632 views
updated Mar 8, 2015
edited by sanlee
posted by sanlee
An interesting word ,it has infinite combinations ,thank you hermanita . - ray76, Dec 6, 2010
'la ventana de la sala' (you can say 'Hay una ventana en la sala', but to refer to the window as 'the (whatever room) window', you need 'de') - bill1111, Dec 6, 2010
Desde la ventana 'de' la sala ... Hi, sanlee! - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
¡Gracias, Bill y Cogu! - sanlee, Dec 6, 2010
Question: In English the word cover can be used to mean either to hide or to include, for example: The hat covers my head, This book covers the whole subject. Is it th same way in Español? Can acarbar be used both ways in Spanish. I'm thinking it can. - Maria-Russell, Dec 6, 2010
Maria, in the case of the hat no, it is "me cubre la cabeza". For the book, yes, it is used in the same way. - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Thank you, this helps. - Maria-Russell, Dec 6, 2010
This is the view from my parent's window of the salt pond. How do you say, "Salt Pond"? - sanlee, Dec 6, 2010

19 Answers

8
votes

Los evangelios de Mateo y Lucas abarcan el cuento del premira Navidad.

The gospels of Matthew and Luke include the story of the first Christmas.

alt text

updated Dec 7, 2010
edited by Echoline
posted by Echoline
Great, Echo! - sanlee, Dec 6, 2010
... de la primera Navidad. :) Good, Cathy - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Hm, 'abarcar' is not a direct translation of 'include'. Normally when you say that a book 'abarca' something, it needs to be long, eg: the life or a person, a long war, etc... In this case, the correct verbs would be 'incluyen','cuentan', 'narran', etc..) - bill1111, Dec 6, 2010
Another frequent use of 'abarcar' in books is to describe a cronology of events from one year to another, eg: 'Este libro abarca desde 1850 hasta 1855') - bill1111, Dec 6, 2010
Very nice Cathy :) - 00b6f46c, Dec 6, 2010
8
votes

Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta.

( Don't bite off more than you can chew. )

Proverbio español

alt text

Of course someone might say:

El que mucho abarca poco acaba ..es un refrán que aconseja que no deben emprenderse más asuntos de los que uno pueda buenamente desempeñar.

Es una versión del más popular de el que mucho abarca poco aprieta.

alt text

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by sv2qp
posted by sv2qp
Nice one, have you checked to see if it's already in the phrasebook? If it's not, it certainly should be. :D - galsally, Dec 6, 2010
Yes Sally just found it.. by seba2.. :) - sv2qp, Dec 6, 2010
It is . - ray76, Dec 6, 2010
It's correct, sv2qp. :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
So.. I added something extra.. :) - sv2qp, Dec 6, 2010
So true! - galsally, Dec 6, 2010
6
votes

She has a tattoo that covers all of the body.

Tiene un tatuaje que le abarca toda el cuerpo.

nice Pictures, Images and Photos

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by Brynleigh
posted by Brynleigh
I'll say... - sanlee, Dec 6, 2010
It is weird ! But I find that very sexy, probably the artist in me? - ray76, Dec 6, 2010
It is artistic, certainly, but what does she do when she is bored with it? We all like to vary our outfits. jeje - Brynleigh, Dec 6, 2010
If she gained a lot of weight, I suppose the designs would look a bit different! lol - Brynleigh, Dec 6, 2010
hehe I've wondered about that a few times Bryn! - galsally, Dec 6, 2010
You realise it is only temporary done with Henna, and will fade in about ten days and get a washed out look. - ray76, Dec 6, 2010
...el cuerpo, masculine. Hi Bryn! - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
....and a typo: 'tatuaje' - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
I hope it's henna, because it won't age well. - JoyceM, Dec 6, 2010
Thanks,:) - Brynleigh, Dec 6, 2010
I think she missed a spot! - 002262dd, Dec 6, 2010
lol, You have a good eye, Inspector! :) - Brynleigh, Dec 6, 2010
5
votes

Conozco un roble viejo, no puedo abarcarlo con los brazos, se necesitan al menos cinco personas para abarcarlo.

I know an old oak tree, I can't get my arms around it, it takes at least five people to encompass it.

  • It's true, that tree is hundreds of years old and a habitat for many other species. Once we found a toad in one of its damp recesses!

  • Es verdad, ese árbol tiene cientos de años y es un hábitat para muchas otras especies. Una vez, ¡encontramos un sapo en uno de sus huecos húmedos! -

However, it's just a baby compared to this one. The Major Oak of Sherwood Forest

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by galsally
posted by galsally
First part: ... se necesitan al menos cinco.... - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Second: ... es un hábitat para muchas otras... and I like more "huecos humedecidos" instead of "recesos húmedos" here. :) Hi, gal! - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
I always wanted to visit Sherwood Forest. Nice post on the whole Sally.. :) - sv2qp, Dec 6, 2010
Thanks and Hi Cogu and sv, missed you at the weekend! - galsally, Dec 6, 2010
4
votes

Quiero ir más lejos de tus caricias y de tus besos, quiero abarcar tus ilusiones y tus esperanzas, quiero ser todo para ti y estar contigo el resto de mis días.

I just found this through Google, at first I thought it meant:

"I want to go far from your caresses and kisses, I want to embrace your hopes and dreams, I want to be everything to you and be with you for the rest of my days."

I did a double-take, ( reaccioné tardíamente) and thought, it must mean:

"I want to go further than your kisses....etc"

¿Tengo razón o no la tengo?

I also had to check my English grammar between farther and further. tongue laugh

updated Dec 7, 2010
edited by galsally
posted by galsally
I see it fine. I like further here, or even 'beyond' your dreams. Very romantic :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Very nice. Thanks Sally for posting this. - sanlee, Dec 6, 2010
Yes, it is very romantic.. - sanlee, Dec 6, 2010
tardíamente :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
4
votes

Si uso estas gafas de sol abarcaré todo

If I use these sunglasses I will be able to see everything

alt text

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by Dennis_the_Adventurer
posted by Dennis_the_Adventurer
Hi Dennis - one tiny mistake in the English - ,,'these' sunglasses. :) - galsally, Dec 6, 2010
Gracias :) - Dennis_the_Adventurer, Dec 6, 2010
Si uso .. Hi, Dennis :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Hola cogumela :) - Dennis_the_Adventurer, Dec 6, 2010
4
votes

Este capitulo abarca un siglo. This chapter covers one century.

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by jennyo45
posted by jennyo45
tilde: capítulo :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Gracias cogumela, the tildes keep disapearing, am having trouble processing sentences - jennyo45, Dec 6, 2010
4
votes

First attempt:

La nieve hermosa abarcó el suelo después de la tormenta.

The beautiful snow covered the ground after the storm.

This is a bad application of "abarcar".

Second attempt:

Los soldados abrazaron a sus familias cuando salieron del autobús.

The solders embraced their families when the got off the bus.

Espero que la sentencia es mejor. red face

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by 0066c384
posted by 0066c384
La hermosa nieve cubrió el suelo... covered cannot be replaced here by abarcó, dogwood :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Thanks! I may try another sentence later. I appreciate your help. - 0066c384, Dec 6, 2010
Oh, dogwood! :) your sentence is wonderful, but abrazar is different from abarcar. - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
You wrote two grammatically perfect sentences! :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Maybe tomorrow will be a better day! :) - 0066c384, Dec 6, 2010
4
votes

Multitarea: ocuparse de varios asuntos a la vez; abarcar muchos proyectos al mismo tiempo.

Multitask: to address several issues at once; to embrace many projects at the same time.

alt text

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by JoyceM
posted by JoyceM
'Abarcar tantos proyectos' seems a incomplete sentence. Tantos should be followed by " que" or "como" Abarco "tantos que" no puedo con ellos, or abarco "tantos como" tú. - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
...so, it's better to say "abarcar muchos" proyectos. Hi, Joyce! Oh, and don't forget to write the sentence in English :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
4
votes

Mi dentadura postiza no me permite abarcar más de lo que me cabe en la boca.

My false teeth do not allow me to bite off more than fits in my mouth

jaws kitty Pictures, Images and Photos

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by ray76
posted by ray76
I wish that was true, bro... - sanlee, Dec 6, 2010
... más de lo que me cabe en la boca. Dear friend Ray.... hug! - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Gracias pequeña tu está muy simpatico y hermosa. Besos, besos. - ray76, Dec 6, 2010
3
votes

El sol abarca el mundo con una luz brillante.

The sun covers the world with a bright light.

Please correct my mistakes. cheesealt text

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by LiveUnsheathed
posted by LiveUnsheathed
No mistakes to correct here :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
3
votes

En inglés, si una grupo toca una canción de otro grupo, están abarcando esa canción.

In English, if a band plays a song by another band, they are "covering" that song.

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by 008f2974
posted by 008f2974
jajaja! How ugly they are! The sentence is correct :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
In Spanish, we don't say "abarcan" in this context, but "versionan" la canción :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
3
votes

La información contenida en, "Wiki Leaks," abarca muchos secretos diplomáticos.

The information contained in"Wiki Leaks," includes many diplomatic secrets.

alt text

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by 002262dd
posted by 002262dd
Muy bien, Joe! (I'd remove the comma before wiki) The verb "abarcar" very well used! :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Muy amable cogumela! Gracias. - 002262dd, Dec 6, 2010
3
votes

From the space station much of the earth can be seen.


Desde la" estación espacial se abarca una gran zona de la tierra.

alt text

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by Rolest
posted by Rolest
"Desde la" estación... and "se abarca mucha Tierra" - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Thinking it again, "se abarca una gran zona/extensión de la Tierra" seems more natural to me. I like the pic! :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
Gacias cogumela. - Rolest, Dec 6, 2010
Oh, Rolest! Sorry, it's not especial, but espacial :) - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010
No hay problema...gracias cogumela. - Rolest, Dec 6, 2010
2
votes

Desde mi casa, el monte. Hood se puede abarca.

From my home Mt. Hood can be seen.

alt text

updated Dec 6, 2010
edited by wansell
posted by wansell
I miss Mt. Hood. Kansas has no mountains. - Leatha, Dec 6, 2010
....el monte Hood se puede abarcar con la vista. Hi, wan!! - cogumela, Dec 6, 2010