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"Contrincante" is a noun which is often translated as "opponent", and "adversario" is an adjective which is often translated as "opposing". Learn more about the difference between "contrincante" and "adversario" below.
el contrincante, la contrincante(
kohn
-
treeng
-
kahn
-
teh
)
This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
masculine or feminine noun
a. opponent
El contrincante de Nadal estudió todos los movimientos del tenista español.Nadal's opponent studied all the Spanish tennis player's moves.
b. rival
Al final perdí el concurso y mi contrincante se llevó el premio.In the end I lost the competition and my rival won the prize.
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adversario, el adversario, la adversaria(
ahd
-
behr
-
sah
-
ryoh
)
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
adjective
a. opposing
La técnica del equipo adversario es muy buena y tendremos que esforzarnos mucho para ganarles.The opposing team is really good, so we'll need to work hard to beat them.
This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
masculine or feminine noun
a. opponent
Su adversario tiene mucha experiencia en este tipo de torneos y será difícil de batir.His opponent has a lot experience playing in these kinds of tournaments, so he will be hard to beat.
b. adversary
Cristina es una adversaria formidable que más te vale tomar en serio.Cristina is a formidable adversary who you'd be wise to take seriously.
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