Palabras - para algo

Question

I just noticed that there are some words that must be a compound of 'para' + something:

el paraguas - umbrella - 'stop waters'

el parachoques - bumper, fender - 'stop impact'

el paracaídas - parachute - 'stop falls'

In each case, the word is singlular but ends in 's' (noun invariable). Is there a grammatical or other reason for this?

Are there others?

Good idea mate , good luck with it. - ray76, Mar 1, 2011

Answer 1

Hi Pesta,

Great observation. Perhaps, the plural is used in Paraguas, parachoques, paracaídas because it is implied that the object will be able to withstand more than one incident (several rains, car crashes, free falls). There are others: like pararrayos (lightening conductor), parabrisas (windshield), paratopes (buffer), paragolpes (bumper),

However, this is just a wild guess. One word comes to mind that uses the verb to stop + a singular noun: parasol (beach umbrella). Perhaps because there's only one Sun to be shielded from.

Thank you, Renzo -- great examples! - pesta, Mar 1, 2011

lightning...that is one of my favorite words to misspell. I always have to look it up. - 0074b507, Mar 2, 2011

Answer 2

Paranormales= Paranormal, against the normal.

Nice! - pesta, Mar 9, 2011

Answer 3

delete-already answered

parágrafo [párrafo]

Too quick for me gfreed! - pacofinkler, Mar 1, 2011

Párrafo.. And other words like paramédico, parapléjico, paranormal use the prefix para (that has nothing to do with the verb parar). - gone, Mar 1, 2011

paragraph is from greek, 'para' prefix meaning 'by', 'beside', 'alongside of' - but not 'stop'. So I sense it doesn't belong in my 'para' word list. Thanks! - pesta, Mar 1, 2011

Great explanation, Pesta. - gone, Mar 1, 2011

oops. I was looking at them as para (for)...agua, choques, caer, not parar. - 0074b507, Mar 2, 2011

Answer 4

Usarenzo already has it.

This is a redundant post

"Parasol" is an one exception. I wish gfreed left his post it was better!

What is parafo? - gone, Mar 1, 2011

It is an "evil spell" as in bad spelling! - pacofinkler, Mar 1, 2011

lol --- sorry, i didn't mean to be insulting. - gone, Mar 1, 2011

Your killing me, paco - rotfl :) - pesta, Mar 1, 2011

:-)) - pacofinkler, Mar 1, 2011