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"Bloqueo" is a form of "bloqueo", a noun which is often translated as "blockade". "Bloquear" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to block". Learn more about the difference between "bloqueo" and "bloquear" below.
el bloqueo(
bloh
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keh
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oh
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
1. (military)
2. (sports)
a. block
Me lesioné el dedo cuando me hicieron un bloqueo cuando yo tiraba la pelota de baloncesto.I injured my finger when someone put a block on me as I threw the ball.
3. (technical) (relating to a mechanism)
A word or phrase that is only used by experts, professionals, or academics in a particular field (e.g., exposition).
a. jamming
El papel rajado o cuerpos extraños pueden ocasionar el bloqueo del alimentador de papel de la impresora.Torn paper or foreign objects can cause jamming of the printer's paper feed.
b. locking
El bloqueo de las ruedas delanteras hizo que el auto patinara.The locking of the front wheels made the car skid.
bloquear(
bloh
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keh
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ahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to impede)
a. to block (the traffic or the flow)
Un coche de bomberos bloqueaba el tráfico.A fire engine was blocking the traffic.
b. to obstruct (the traffic or the flow)
En esta posición, la válvula bloquea el flujo de agua.In this position, the valve obstructs the flow of water.
c. to bar (one's way)
Un guardia de seguridad intentó bloquearles el paso sin conseguirlo.A security guard tried to bar their way, but to no avail.
a. to block (a road or a pipe)
No puedo meter el auto en el garaje porque una camioneta bloquea la entrada.I can't park in my garage because there's a van blocking the driveway.
b. to obstruct (a road or a pipe)
Al final descubrimos que eran las hojas las que bloqueaban la tubería.Eventually, we found out it was the leaves that were obstructing the pipe.
3. (military)
a. to blockade (a road or a port)
Los tanques bloqueaban todas las salidas de la ciudad.Tanks were blockading all the city's exits.
4. (to isolate)
a. to cut off
En los Pirineos, varios pueblos están bloqueados por la nieve.In the Pyrenees, several towns are cut off by the snow.
5. (to hinder)
a. to block (a project or negotiations)
La falta de fondos bloqueó el proyecto.A lack of funds blocked the project.
a. to jam (a mechanism)
Unos niños habían bloqueado la cerradura con un palillo.Some children had jammed the lock with a toothpick.
7. (to congest)
a. to jam
Los clientes bloquearon la central telefónica con quejas.Customers jammed the switchboard with complaints.
8. (sports)
a. to block (a player)
En rugby solo se puede bloquear al jugador que tiene el balón.In rugby only the player carrying the ball can be blocked.
9. (automobile)
a. to lock (the steering)
Para bloquear la dirección, tiene que girar el volante hacia la derecha.In order to lock the steering, you need to turn the wheel towards the right.
10. (social media)
11. (computing)
a. to lock
Cinco minutos sin usar la computadora bloqueará el dispositivo.Leaving the computer idle for five minutes will lock the device.
12. (finance)
a. to freeze (accounts or funds)
El banco bloqueó sus cuentas al detectar movimientos sospechosos.The bank froze his accounts after detecting suspicious activity.
13. (knitting)
a. to block
El patrón recomienda que se bloqueen los cuadros para un mejor acabado.The pattern recommends you block the squares for a neater finish.
bloquearse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
14. (to get stuck)
a. to jam (brakes or mechanism)
Intenté parar, pero los frenos se habían bloqueado.I tried to stop, but the brakes jammed.
b. to jam up (mechanism)
El mecanismo de cierre se bloqueó luego de un par de usos.The locking mechanism jammed up after a few uses.
c. to lock (steering wheel)
El volante se bloqueó y la llave de contacto no gira.The steering wheel locked and the ignition key wouldn't turn.
a. to freeze
Cuando subió al escenario, se bloqueó y no pudo decir ni una palabra.When she went on stage, she froze and couldn't say a word.
b. to have a mental block
No sé qué me pasó en el examen que me bloqueé.I don't know what happened during the exam, but I had a mental block.
