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"Lie down" is an intransitive verb phrase which is often translated as "acostarse", and "back" is a noun which is often translated as "la espalda". Learn more about the difference between "lie down" and "back" below.
lie down(
lay
daun
)An intransitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and does not require a direct object (e.g., Everybody please stand up.).
1. (to recline)
b. echarse
This has been a long day. I can't wait until I can return home and lie down in my hammock.Fue un día largo. No veo la hora de volver a casa y echarme en mi hamaca.
c. tumbarse
The dog lay down on the sofa, and fell fast asleepEl perro se tumbó en el sofá y se quedó profundamente dormido.
d. tenderse
Sarah, why don't you go and lie down until you feel better?Sarah ¿por qué no te tiendes hasta que te sientas mejor?
back(
bahk
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (anatomy)
a. la espalda (F) (person)
(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).
I will never turn my back on you.Nunca te daré la espalda.
a. el respaldo (M) (chair)
(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).
You can hang your jackets on the back of your chairs.Pueden colgar sus chaquetas en el respaldo de las sillas.
3. (rear part)
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. dar marcha atrás
She backed her car into the parking place.Dio marcha atrás para meterse en el estacionamiento.
b. retroceder
He would not back his truck out to let me pass.No quería retroceder su camioneta para dejarme pasar.
6. (to support)
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
7. (in space)
8. (in time)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Back when I was your age, we walked to school.Allá cuando yo tenía tu edad, caminábamos a la escuela.
Back when no one had a car, the roads around here were very different.En aquel entonces, cuando nadie tenía coche, las rutas por aquí eran muy distintas.
Things were different back then.Las cosas eran distintas en aquella época.
9. (returned)
a. de vuelta
She went to the store and was back in no time.Fue a la tienda y estuvo de vuelta en cinco minutos.
They will be back at six.Estarán de vuelta a las seis.
