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"Blow" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "soplar", and "flunk" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "reprobar". Learn more about the difference between "blow" and "flunk" below.
blow(
blo
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to propel)
a. soplar
I opened the door and the wind blew the leaves inside the house.Abrí la puerta y el viento sopló las hojas al interior de la casa.
The strong winds were blowing sands inland.Los vientos fuertes soplaban las arenas tierra adentro.
c. llevarse
The gust of wind blew all the papers from the table.La ráfaga de viento se llevó todos los papeles de la mesa.
d. tirar
Peter raised his hand and blew Sandy a kiss.Peter levantó la mano y le tiró un beso a Sandy.
2. (to sound)
a. sonarse
Will you excuse me for a moment? I need to blow my nose.¿Me permites un momento? Debo sonarme la nariz.
a. fundir
With that many Christmas lights, you're liable to blow a fuse.Con esa cantidad de luces Navideñas, podrías fundir un fusible.
c. hacer saltar
He blew a 30 amp fuse by operating a 50 amp oven on the same circuit.Hizo saltar un fusible de 30 amperes al echar a andar un horno de 50 amperes en el mismo circuito.
6. (to destroy)
a. volar
He dropped a lit match in the gas tank and blew the car to bits.Dejó caer un fósforo encendido en el tanque de gas y voló el coche en pedazos.
b. echar por tierra
With that crazy statement, he just blew the theory that he was the sane one in the group.Con esa declaración loca, acaba de echar por tierra la teoría de que él era el único cuerdo del grupo.
c. reventar
The sun heated the chamber and the resulting pressure blew the gasket.El sol calentó la cámara y la presión resultante reventó la junta.
7. (to ruin)
a. echar a perder
He blew his chance to be president when he answered the question like that.Echó a perder la oportunidad de ser presidente cuando contestó la pregunta de esa manera.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
They're not going to hire you. You blew it in the interview.No te van a contratar. La pifiaste en la entrevista.
You blew it, dude! She's a vegetarian and you took her to eat fish tacos.¡La embarraste, mano! Es vegetariana y la llevaste a comer tacos de pescado.
a. despilfarrar
He blew a month's salary in one day in Beverly Hills.Despilfarró el salario de un mes en un día en Beverly Hills.
b. fundirse
She blew her money on clothes and then had to borrow for food.Se fundió el dinero en la ropa y luego tuvo que pedir prestado para la comida.
9. (slang) (to leave) (United States)
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
Regionalism used in the United States
a. largarse de (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
It's boring here. Let's blow this town.Es aburrido aquí. Largúemonos de este pueblo.
10. (vulgar) (to perform fellatio on)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
14. (electronics)
a. fundirse
The fuse blew and left them in the dark.El fusible se fundió y los dejó en la oscuridad.
b. quemarse
It must have been a bad fuse. It blew as soon as I connected it.Debió haber sido un mal fusible. Se quemó en cuanto se conectó.
c. saltar
The lightning caused several appliances to blow.El relámpago hizo saltar varios aparatos domésticos.
15. (to burst)
b. estallar
The demolition team set dynamite to blow in strategic locations.El equipo de la demolición colocó dinamita para estallar en lugares estratégicos.
16. (slang) (to leave) (United States)
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
Regionalism used in the United States
a. largarse (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
I'm done here. I'm going to blow. See you later.Ya acabé aquí. Me voy a largar. Hasta luego.
17. (colloquial) (to become angry)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. explotar (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Sam blew when he saw that his son had crashed the car into the garage.Sam explotó cuando vio que su hijo había chocado el coche contra la cochera.
18. (slang) (to be terrible)
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
a. ser una mierda (vulgar)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
This party blows. Let's bounce.Esta fiesta es una mierda. Vayámonos.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
19. (hit)
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
He felt like he was winning the fight until his opponent landed a strong blow on his chin.Sentía que estaba ganando la pelea hasta que su contrincante le dio un fuerte puñetazo en el mentón.
My old cell phone could take a blow with a hammer.Mi celular viejo podría aguantar un martillazo.
21. (setback)
a. el golpe (M) (figurative)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
His death came as a great blow to us all.Su muerte fue un duro golpe para todos.
flunk(
fluhngk
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (colloquial) (to fail)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. reprobar (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
I can't believe I flunked the test. I studied so hard!No puedo creer que haya reprobado el examen. ¡Estudié un montón!
You flunked the test because you waited until the day before to try and learn everything.Reprobaste el examen porque esperaste hasta el día anterior para tratar de aprender todo.
c. tronar (colloquial) (Central America) (Cuba) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Cuba
Regionalism used in Mexico
Paula flunked the test because she only read the first chapter of the book.Paula tronó el examen porque solo leyó el primer capítulo del libro.
d. rajar (colloquial) (Bolivia) (Colombia)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Bolivia
Regionalism used in Colombia
I flunked physics last semester.Rajé física el semestre pasado.
e. jalar (colloquial) (Ecuador)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Ecuador
If I flunk another test my dad will be mad.Si jalo otro examen mi papá se va a enojar.
f. catear (colloquial) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
You need to study so you don't flunk chemistry.Tienes que estudiar para no catear química.
2. (colloquial) (to give a failing grade)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. reprobar (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
Mr. Dunn flunked everyone who cheated.El Sr. Dunn reprobó a todos los que copiaron.
c. catear (colloquial) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
The history teacher flunked Ivan with an F.La maestra de historia cateó a Iván con un 5.
d. tronar (colloquial) (Central America) (Cuba) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Cuba
Regionalism used in Mexico
The professor flunked those who plagiarized part of their essay.El profesor tronó a los que plagiaron partes de su ensayo.
e. bochar (colloquial) (River Plate)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
If you're absent again, the teacher will flunk you.Si vuelves a faltar, la maestra te va a bochar.
f. jalar (colloquial) (Peru)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Peru
Mrs. Jenny is really easy. She's never flunked any of her students.La maestra Jenny es un barco. Nunca ha jalado a ninguno de sus estudiantes.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
3. (colloquial) (to fail)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. reprobar (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
Are you serious? Did you flunk again?¿Es en serio? ¿Reprobaste otra vez?
b. tronar (colloquial) (Central America) (Cuba) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Cuba
Regionalism used in Mexico
I got an F on the test, which means I flunked.Saqué 5 en el examen, lo que significa que troné.
c. rajar (colloquial) (Bolivia) (Colombia)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Bolivia
Regionalism used in Colombia
If Mary flunks again, she's out of the school.Si Mary raja otra vez, está fuera del colegio.
d. jalar (colloquial) (Ecuador)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Ecuador
I don't understand why I flunked if I studied so hard.No entiendo por qué jalé si estudié tanto.
