Bald Tires...

Question

In English when tires no longer have tread on them we say they are bald, just like a person with no hair.

In Spanish I have never heard calvo or pelado, the two words for bald that I am familiar with used in this manner. I have however, heard the word lisa (smooth) used in this manner.

Anyone have any other ideas about how to express bald tires?

Acabo de aprender la palabra "liso" "smooth" esta tarde! Gracias. - Jubilado, May 29, 2014

The funny thing is I had just learned "llantas lisas" just a few hours before you posted this. - rodneyp, Jun 1, 2014

Answer 1

llantas desgastadas? - from an automobile site.

"Llantas desgastadas" describes tires that have worn down but does not necessarily mean that they are completely bald, just "worn." - Observer, May 29, 2014

Desgastado can mean threadbare or worn out. If the threads are showing, they would be considered to be worse than bald. - 007c5fc1, May 29, 2014

@Observer...you haven't filled out your profile with regards to the language you speak so I haven't a clue if you are a native spanish speaker...sorry. It would help if you did. - 007c5fc1, May 29, 2014

Answer 2

Llantas lisas

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Thanks for the confirmation of the use of "lisa". - gringojrf, May 29, 2014

Answer 3

Neumáticos lisos or llantas lisas (as already mentioned above).

For practice, you might consider reading about these ideas in context. Perhaps one of the following articles might be of some use:

el Universo

Wikipedia

el Diario

I have to agree with Margherite , you have us at a distinct disadvantage by not saying what language is your mother tongue , that is very unfair of you .allow us the same consideration that we allow you. - ray76, May 30, 2014

Thanks for the links. - rac1, Jun 1, 2014

Answer 4

Grammatically speaking, "desgastar" is "to wear" so to say "to wear out" we need an adverb or adjective to indicate "completely worn out". From the article in El Universo: Regularmente el excesivo desgaste de las llantas tiene que ver con problemas en el sistema de frenos y en la suspensión del automotor. (However, sometimes "desgastado" is incorrectly used to mean "completely worn out").

In this context it means the same as "bald tires" or "completely worn out tires." Also keep in mind that "bald tires" is idiomatic as tires don´t grow hair.

Another way to say "bald tires" is "llantas acabadas".

Note from the RAE:

desgastar. (De des- y gastar). 1. tr. Quitar o consumir poco a poco por el uso o el roce parte de algo. U. t. c. prnl.

Thank you Julian....much appreciated. - 007c5fc1, Jun 1, 2014

Answer 5

Julian said: Also keep in mind that "bald tires" is idiomatic as tires don´t grow hair.

This is from the Oxford English dictionary. See 1.3. So it is not idiomatic at all.

Oxford English Dictionary - Bald