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"Cruzar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to cross", and "cazar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to hunt". Learn more about the difference between "cruzar" and "cazar" below.
cruzar(
kroo
-
sahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
b. to go across
Roberto cruzó el puente para entrar al pueblo.Roberto went across the bridge to enter the town.
a. to exchange
Desde que se separaron, ya no cruzan palabras al encontrarse.Since they broke up, they don't exchange any words when they meet.
a. to cross
Los granjeros cruzaron una yegua con un burro para conseguir una mula.The farmers crossed a mare with a donkey to get a mule.
a. to cross out
Cruza esta palabra que escribiste dos veces.Cross out this word that you wrote twice.
a. to cross
Steven cruzó el cheque para poder depositarlo.Steven crossed the cheque in order to be able to deposit it.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
cruzarse
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 cross
La avenida Lázaro Cárdenas y el anillo periférico se cruzan en el sur.Lazaro Cardenas Avenue and the beltway cross in the south.
b. to intersect
Como estas líneas son paralelas, nunca se cruzan.Since these lines are parallel, they never intersect.
c. to meet
La avenida Hidalgo se cruza con Federalismo a cinco kilómetros al norte.Hidalgo Avenue meets Federalismo five kilometers to the north.
10. (to move past)
a. to pass
Enrique se cruzó con su papá en el estacionamiento sin darse cuenta.Enrique passed his dad in the parking lot without noticing.
b. to pass each other
Un crucero que iba saliendo se cruzó con uno que venía llegando.A cruise ship on its way out and another on its way in passed each other.
a. to see each other
Las compañeras se cruzaron en el supermercado pero no tuvieron tiempo de platicar.The coworkers saw each other in the supermarket, but they didn't have time to talk.
b. to bump into
Me crucé con Rebeca en el metro esta mañana rumbo al trabajo.I bumped into Rebeca in the subway this morning on my way to work.
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
12. (to obstruct)
a. to pull out in front of
Cuando sacaba el carro de la cochera, se me cruzó un niño en patineta.As I was backing the car out of the garage, a boy on a skateboard pulled out in front of me.
b. to cut off
Se me cruzó un Hummer y casi le pegué por atrás.A Hummer cut me off and I almost rear-ended it.
cazar(
kah
-
sahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to hunt
Mi tío y sus amigos cazan ciervos en el otoño.My uncle and his friends hunt deer in the fall.
b. to catch
Los niños están por el arroyo, cazando ranas.The children are down by the creek, catching frogs.
d. to shoot (with gun)
Cuando éramos niños, nos gustaba cazar palomas en el campo.When we were kids, we liked to shoot pigeons in the country.
3. (figurative) (to comprehend)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. to understand
Puedo leer en francés, pero no cazo una palabra cuando lo escucho.I can read French, but I don't understand a word when I hear it.
b. to get (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
¿Cazaste lo que nos explicó la maestra hoy?Did you get what the teacher explained to us today?
4. (to obtain)
a. to capture
Muchos candidatos están usando las redes sociales para cazar votos.Many candidates are using social media to capture votes.
b. to land (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Tuve mucha suerte y cacé un puesto con muy buen sueldo.I got really lucky and landed a very well-paid job.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
5. (sport)
b. to go hunting
Antonio tiene un retriever para cuando caza en el campo.Antonio has a retriever for when he goes hunting in the country.
c. to shoot (with gun)
Soy muy buena para pescar, pero nunca aprendí a cazar.I'm great at fishing, but I never learned to shoot.
d. to go shooting (with gun)
Prefiero cazar en el bosque que en el desierto.I prefer to go shooting in the forest than the in desert.
