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"Corpulento" is an adjective which is often translated as "heavyset", and "gordo" is an adjective which is often translated as "fat". Learn more about the difference between "corpulento" and "gordo" below.
corpulento(
kohr
-
poo
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lehn
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toh
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (corpulent)
a. heavyset
No te dejes engañar. Jaime puede ser corpulento, pero es tan rápido como cualquier otro quarterback.Don't be fooled. Jaime might be heavyset, but he is as fast as any other quarterback.
María es corpulenta y trabaja como modelo de tallas grandes.Maria is heavyset and works as a plus-size model.
b. hefty
Él es tan corpulento y ella tan delgada que hacen una extraña pareja.He is so hefty and she is so skinny that they make a strange couple.
c. burly
Para ser tan corpulento, tu hermano no levanta mucho peso.Given that he's so burly, your brother can't lift a lot of weight.
d. solid (for trees)
En ese árbol corpulento de ahí, se suben los niños a jugar.That solid tree there is where children climb up to play.
gordo(
gohr
-
doh
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (corpulent)
a. fat
Ese gato está tan gordo que no alcanza saltar al sofá.That cat is so fat it can't jump onto the couch.
2. (not thin)
a. thick
Tengo que leer un libro gordo para mi clase de historia.I have to read a thick book for my history class.
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).
b. fat man (masculine)
A word or phrase that is masculine (e.g., el libro).
Yo estaba sentado entre dos gordos.I was sitting between two fat men.
c. fat woman (feminine)
A word or phrase that is feminine (e.g., la manzana).
La gorda que tenía adelante caminaba más lento que yo.The fat woman in front of me walked more slowly than I.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
a. fat
Quítale el gordo a la carne antes de meterla al sartén.Remove the fat from the meat before putting it in the pan.
