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"Corte" is a form of "corte", a noun which is often translated as "cut". "Cortan" is a form of "cortar", a transitive verb which is often translated as "to cut". Learn more about the difference between "corte" and "cortan" below.
el corte, la corte(
kohr
-
teh
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
2. (incision)
a. cut
Hice un corte en el tronco del árbol con la navaja.I made a cut in the tree trunk with my penknife.
4. (sewing)
b. length (piece of fabric)
Para hacer la falda, necesitas un corte de tela de tres metros.To make the skirt, you'll need a three-meter length of material.
5. (hairstyle)
7. (type)
a. kind
Solo le interesa la escritura de corte tradicional.He's only interested in writing of a traditional kind.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Le gustan los muebles de corte modernista.He likes modernist furniture.
La ropa de corte boho me llama la atención.I think boho-style clothing is very striking.
8. (reduction)
9. (edit)
a. edge
Todos estos libros tienen los cortes o jaspeados o dorados.All these books have either marbled or gilt edges.
11. (figurative) (sharp answer)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Menudo corte; no me lo esperaba.He practically bit my head off; I wasn't expecting that.
¡Vaya corte que me dio la actriz cuando le pedí su autógrafo!The actress practically snapped my head off when I asked her for her autograph.
12. (figurative) (cause of embarrassment) (Spain)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
Regionalism used in Spain
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
¡Qué corte estar desnuda delante del médico!How embarrassing being naked in front of the doctor!
Es un corte estar con gente cuando se muestran escenas de sexo en la tele.It's embarrassing to have other people there when there are sex scenes on television.
13. (colloquial) (soundtrack)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. track
El locutor puso un corte inédito de Queen.The disc jockey put on an unreleased track by Queen.
14. (disconnection)
a. outage (United States)
Regionalism used in the United States
Desde entonces, los cortes han sido mucho menos frecuentes .Since then, the outages have been much less frequent.
b. power cut (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Confirmó que hubo un corte de tres horas en el hospital debido a la falla en un generadorHe confirmed that there had been a three-hour power cut at the hospital owing to the failure of a generator.
c. cut
Casi todos los de aquí resultaron afectados por el corte en el suministro de agua.Nearly all of us here were affected by the cut in the water supply.
15. (architecture)
a. cross section
El arquitecto entregó la planta y los cortes de la casa.The architect gave us the floor plan and cross sections of the house.
b. section
El corte transversal de la viga es demasiado pequeño en relación con la longitud.The cross section of the beam is too small in relation to its length.
16. (blockage)
a. road closure
En la ruta más directa hay un corte porque están repavimentando.There's a road closure in place for resurfacing work that's affecting the most direct route.
b. roadblock
Hay varios cortes de ruta en diferentes provincias en protesta por los despidos.A number of roadblocks have been set up in different provinces as a protest against the layoffs.
A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
17. (royal court)
cortar(
kohr
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
b. to cut off
¿Quieres que te corte un pedazo de queso manchego?Do you want me to cut off a piece of Manchego cheese for you?
d. to slice
El panadero cortó el pan con un cuchillo eléctrico.The baker sliced the bread with an electric knife.
e. to cut out
A ese niño le encanta cortar las fotos de las revistas de su mamá.That boy loves to cut out pictures from his mom's magazines.
f. to amputate (limb)
Los doctores se vieron forzados a cortarle la pierna al paciente.The doctors were forced to amputate the patient's leg.
4. (cards)
a. to cut
Si alguien quiere cortar las cartas, podemos empezar a jugar.If someone wants to cut the cards, we can start playing.
5. (figurative) (to divide)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. to slice through (figurative)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
El ninja cortó el aire con sus chacos.The ninja sliced through the air with his nunchucks.
6. (to dilute)
a. to cut off
Les cortaron la luz porque tenían seis meses sin pagar el recibo.They cut off their electricity because they hadn't paid the bill in six months.
a. to break off
Los dos países cortaron relaciones diplomáticas tras el incidente.The two countries broke off diplomatic relations after the incident.
9. (to staunch)
a. to stop
Ponte esta venda en el brazo para cortar el flujo de sangre a la herida.Tie this bandage around your arm to stop the flow of blood to the wound.
10. (to block)
a. to cut off
Íbamos manejando por la carretera cuando nos cortó un loco en una camioneta.We were driving on the highway when a crazy guy in a truck cut us off.
b. to close off
Cortaron el acceso al centro debido a la feria.They closed off access to downtown because of the festival.
11. (computing)
12. (to edit out)
a. to cut
Esta escena con la jirafa no me gusta nada; mejor la cortamos.I don't like this scene with the giraffe at all; let's cut it.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
15. (computing)
a. to break up
Sara y su novio cortaron porque Sara le puso los cuernos.Sara and her boyfriend broke up because Sara cheated on him.
b. to split up
Los papás de Harry cortaron cuando tenía dos años.Harry's parents split up when he was two years old.
a. to cut through
Vamos a cortar por el estacionamiento del supermercado.Let's cut through the grocery store parking lot.
cortarse
A reflexive verb is a verb that indicates that the subject performs an action on itself (e.g., Miguel se lava.).
a. to cut oneself
Me corté con un cuchillo mientras cortaba una manzana.I cut myself with a knife while I was cutting up an apple.
A reciprocal verb is a verb that indicates that two or more subjects perform an action on each other (e.g., Ellos se abrazan.).
a. to cut each other
Los pandilleros se cortaron durante la pelea.The gang members cut each other during the fight.
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
23. (to split)
a. to get cut off
Se cortó la línea; ahorita la vuelvo a marcar.We got cut off; I'll call back in a minute.
25. (culinary)
a. to curdle
La crema poblana se va a cortar si la calientas demasiado.The poblana chili pepper cream will curdle if you overheat it.
26. (colloquial) (to become shy)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to clam up (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
No te cortes ahora, hijo. Tienes que exigir tus derechos.Don't clam up now, son. You have to fight for your rights.
b. to lose one's nerve (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Aureliano se cortó al momento de pedir la mano de su novia.Aureliano lost his nerve as he was about to ask his girlfriend to marry him.
