Los disques apoyan el agua...

Question

Context: ¨Dams back up the water...¨

In the SD dictionary under "back" I found: To back up -> apoyar

My attempt: Los diques disques apoyan el agua...

Is this close or is there a better, more natural Spanish translation?

Muchas gracias!

Answer 1

I think a better verb might be embalsar. I also think there might be a verb represar - a reservoir, at least in Mexico, is una presa - but I couldn't find it in the dictionary.

Also, a dam is a dique, not a disque (typo).

So, it might be better to say

Los diques embalsan el agua en la presa.

Yup, I mispelled "dique"! And thanks for the verb, "embalsar"! - bandit51jd, Feb 8, 2012

Actually, a "dique" is a levee or dike. A dam is "presa" or "represa". - gintar77, Feb 8, 2012

Answer 2

Los disques apoyan el agua...

It doesn't make sense at all.. i think the correct is:

Las represas retienen el agua..

Dams in this is obviously "represas". (At least with the rest of the context)

dam ?noun

1 a barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir or >preventing flooding.

And "back up" doesn't means exactly "retener", but it's a good interpretation.

Good-bye!