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"Cordón" is a noun which is often translated as "cord", and "pila" is a noun which is often translated as "battery". Learn more about the difference between "cordón" and "pila" below.
el cordón(
kohr
-
dohn
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
1. (string)
2. (footwear)
a. cord (United States)
Regionalism used in the United States
El cordón de la aspiradora es corto y no llego a esa parte de la habitación.The cord of the vacuum is short and I can't reach that part of the room.
b. flex (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
El especialista cortó el cordón rojo para desactivar la bomba.The specialist cut the red flex to deactivate the bomb.
4. (nautical)
a. strand
El cabo no era resistente porque tenía pocos cordones.The rope was not strong enough because it was made of few strands.
5. (anatomy)
a. cord
El obstetra cortó el cordón umbilical y le dio el recién nacido a la madre.The obstetrician cut the umbilical cord and handed the newborn to its mother.
a. cordon
La policía antidisturbios formó un cordón para evitar que los manifestantes siguieran marchando.The riot police formed a cordon to prevent the protesters from continuing to march.
7. (medicine)
a. cordon
Se evacuó la zona donde se desató la epidemia y se estableció un cordón sanitario.The region where the epidemic broke out was evacuated and a cordon sanitaire was installed.
8. (concrete rim) (Costa Rica) (South America)
Regionalism used in Costa Rica
Regionalism used in South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela
a. curb (United States)
Regionalism used in the United States
Cuando estaciones, ten cuidado de que las ruedas del coche no queden tocando el cordón.When parking, make sure the tires of the car are not touching the curb.
b. kerb (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Matías se sentó en el cordón y volvió a poner la cadena de la bicicleta.Matias sat on the kerb and put the bicycle chain back on.
a. chain
El valle está rodeado por un cordón de cerros.The valley is surrounded by a chain of hills.
la pila(
pee
-
lah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
a. sink
Necesité una hora para fregar todos los platos de la pila.It took me an hour to wash all the dishes in the sink.
b. basin (of fountain)
Unos niños rompieron la pila de la fuente de la plaza.Some kids broke the basin of the fountain in the square.
c. fountain (public water source) (South America)
Regionalism used in South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela
La mujer llenó dos cubos de agua en la pila.The woman filled two buckets of water at the fountain.
3. (religious)
4. (heap)
5. (colloquial) (large amount)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. loads (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Recibió una pila de correos electrónicos de todas partes del mundo.He received loads of emails from all over the world.
b. a ton (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
El profesor de matemáticas siempre nos da una pila de deberes.The math teacher always gives us a ton of homework.
a. pile
Las pilas del puente son de hormigón armado.The piles of the bridge are made of reinforced concrete.
7. (computing)
a. stack
No entiendo la diferencia entre las pilas y las colas.I don't understand the difference between stacks and queues.
