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"Corto" is a form of "corto", an adjective which is often translated as "short". "A" is a preposition which is often translated as "to". Learn more about the difference between "corto" and "a" below.
corto(
kohr
-
toh
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (length)
a. short
Mi abuela vive a corta distancia de la playa.My grandmother lives a short distance from the beach.
2. (duration)
3. (limited)
a. short
Con todas las compras que he hecho, me quedé corto de dinero.With all the shopping I've done, I'm short on money.
4. (colloquial) (dense)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. dim (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Le pedí un café negro y ese mesero corto me preguntó si lo quería con leche.I asked for black coffee and that dim waiter asked me if I wanted milk with it.
b. thick (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
¿De qué color era el caballo blanco de George Washington? - Va, ¡no seas tan corto!What color was George Washington's white horse? - Come on, don't be so thick!
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
a. short
Vi un corto excelente en el Festival de Cine de Sundance.I saw a great short at the Sundance Film Festival.
b. short film
Uno de los cortos del Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia provocó mucha discusión.One of the short films at the Morelia International Film Festival caused a lot of discussion.
6. (beverage)
a, la a(
ah
)A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between a noun and another word (e.g., He ran through the door.).
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Podía respirar a duras penas.He was hardly able to breathe.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
¡A fregar los platos!Go do the dishes!
¡A la cama!Off to bed!
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Me encantaría ganar dinero a espuertas.I would love to earn lots of money.
Llovía a cántaros.It was pouring.
A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
An abbreviation is the shortened form of a word or group of words (e.g., "UFO" = "unidentified flying object"; "p." = "page").
a. A
El circuito transporta una corriente de 1 A.The circuit carries a current of 1 A.
La intensidad de la corriente eléctrica se mide en A.The intensity of an electric current is measured in A.
