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"Dig" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "cavar", and "delve" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "rebuscar". Learn more about the difference between "dig" and "delve" below.
dig(
dihg
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
b. escarbar (manually)
The dog is in the backyard, digging in the ground.El perro está en el patio trasero, escarbando la tierra.
c. excavar (mechanically)
A tunnel will be dug through the mountain with a tunnel boring machine.Se va a excavar un túnel en la montaña con una tuneladora.
a. remover
The farmer told me to dig the soil to aerate it before planting.El agricultor me dijo que removiera la tierra para airearla antes de cultivar.
3. (to extract)
a. sacar
I dig carrots from our garden when I need them.Saco zanahorias de nuestro jardín cuando las necesito.
a. excavar
The archaeologists found a new artifact while digging the ruins.Los arqueólogos encontraron un nuevo artefacto cuando excavaban las ruinas.
5. (to thrust)
a. dar un codazo en (with the elbow)
He dug me so hard in the ribs I nearly fell over.Me dio un codazo en las costillas tan fuerte que casi me caí.
c. meter (into a bag or one's pockets)
She dug her hand into a paper bag and took out an apple.Metió la mano en una bolsa de papel y sacó una manzana.
6. (colloquial) (to like)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
b. molar (colloquial) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
Do you really dig extreme sports?¿De verdad te molan los deportes de riesgo?
7. (colloquial) (to understand)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. cavar (a person)
She had dirt under her nails from digging in the soil.Tenía las uñas sucias de cavar en la tierra.
b. excavar (a machine)
A digger digs faster than a dozen men with shovels.Una excavadora excava más rápido que una docena de hombres con palas.
c. escarbar (an animal)
My dog is digging in the yard to hide a bone.Mi perro está escarbando en el jardín para esconder un hueso.
a. excavar
The archaeologists had to stop digging because they ran out of funds.Los arqueólogos tuvieron que dejar de excavar porque se quedaron sin fondos.
10. (to search)
a. investigar
I've been digging in the archives for more information.He estado investigando en los archivos, tratando de encontrar más información.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
11. (archaeology)
a. la excavación (F) (act of digging)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
During the dig, the archaeologists discovered a temple.Durante la excavación, los arqueólogos descubrieron un templo.
b. el yacimiento (M) (place)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The area is full of archaeological digs.La zona está llena de yacimientos arqueológicos.
a. el codazo (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
My sister was about to say something inappropriate, so I gave her a dig.Mi hermana estaba a punto de decir algo inapropiado, así que le di un codazo.
13. (criticism)
b. la indirecta (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
She was constantly taking digs at her ex-husband.Estaba siempre lanzándole indirectas a su exmarido.
digs
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
14. (colloquial) (home)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
b. la queli (F) (slang) (Spain)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
Regionalism used in Spain
I had digs quite close to the college.Mi queli estaba cerca de la universidad.
delve(
dehlv
)An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. rebuscar
After delving in his suitcase for several minutes, Roberto finally found his passport.Tras rebuscar en su maleta durante varios minutos, por fin Roberto dio con su pasaporte.
Joanie delved into the toy box and pulled out a huge stuffed elephant.Joanie rebuscó en la caja de juguetes y sacó un enorme elefante de peluche.
b. hurgar
Janice delved into her pocket for a coin, which she gave to her granddaughter for a lollipop.Janice hurgó en el bolsillo para una moneda que le dio a su nieta para una paleta.
c. escarbar
There was a time when I had to go delving in dumpsters just to find food to eat.Hubo un tiempo cuando tuve que ir escarbando en contenedores tan solo para buscar algo de comer.
a. ahondar
Diego has been delving into Buddhism to make sense of his life.Diego ha estado ahondando en el budismo para entender mejor su vida.
b. hurgar
There's no sense in delving into matters that can't be changed or taken back.No hay razón para hurgar en asuntos que ya no se pueden cambiar ni retirar.
