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"Pico" is a form of "pico", a noun which is often translated as "beak". "Palo" is a noun which is often translated as "stick". Learn more about the difference between "palo" and "pico" below.
el palo(
pah
-
loh
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
2. (rod)
a. post
La valla se cayó con el viento porque los palos no estaban anclados al suelo.The fence fell down in the wind because the posts weren't fixed into the ground.
b. pole
No pude clavar los palos de la tienda de campaña porque el suelo está congelado.I couldn't nail down the poles of the tent because the ground is frozen.
c. handle (of a tool)
Me clavé una astilla del palo del martillo.I got a splinter from the hammer handle.
3. (sports)
a. post
El jugador chutó el balón, pero le dio al palo.The player shot the ball, but it hit the post.
4. (nautical)
a. mast
Un miembro de la tripulación subió al palo del barco.One of the crew members climbed the mast of the ship.
5. (material)
a. wooden
Usa una cuchara de palo para que no rayes la cacerola.Use a wooden spoon so you don't scratch the pan.
6. (cards)
a. suit
El palo de la carta que se vuelva será el triunfo.The suit of the card that is turned up will be trumps.
7. (botany) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
a. tree
En otoño, mi jardín está lleno de hojas de los palos.In fall, my garden is full of leaves from the trees.
8. (hit)
a. blow
Recibí un palo en la cabeza y cuando recobré el sentido, descubrí que me habían robado.I received a blow to the head, and when I came around, I discovered that somebody had robbed me.
9. (colloquial) (bummer) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
a. blow
La pérdida de su trabajo fue un palo difícil de superar.The loss of his job was a hard blow to recover from.
10. (typography)
11. (colloquial) (beverage) (Puerto Rico) (Venezuela)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Puerto Rico
Regionalism used in Venezuela
a. drink
Te invito a un palo para festejar mi cumpleaños.I'll buy you a drink to celebrate my birthday.
12. (music)
13. (vulgar) (sex) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. screw
Él no te ama, solo quiere echar un palo.He doesn't love you; he just wants to have a screw.
14. (colloquial) (intensifier; used with "de") (Colombia) (Venezuela)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Colombia
Regionalism used in Venezuela
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Se compró un palo de carro con el dinero que ganó en la lotería.He bought the car of cars with the money he won from the lottery.
Cayó un palo de agua que inundó las calles.The pouring rain flooded the streets.
el pico(
pee
-
koh
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
2. (colloquial) (human anatomy)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
b. mouth
El jefe escuchó mi explicación sin abrir el pico.The boss listened to my explanation without opening his mouth.
3. (geography)
4. (high point)
a. peak
Los casos de influenza alcanzaron su pico máximo a fines de diciembre.Influenza cases reached their highest peak in late December.
5. (edge)
a. corner
Bettina se pegó en la cabeza con el pico de la mesa.Bettina hit her head against the corner of the table.
b. sharp point
El pico de la plancha está roto porque se me cayó, pero funciona.The sharp point of the iron is broken because I dropped it, but it works.
6. (tool)
a. pick
Los soldados cavaban las trincheras con pico y pala.The soldiers dug the trenches with picks and spades.
b. pickax (United States)
Regionalism used in the United States
La Sra. Jonte relató a los periodistas que la habían amenazado con un pico.Mrs. Jonte told the reporters she had been threatened with a pickax.
c. pickaxe (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Tuvimos que usar un pico para abrir el baúl.We had to use a pickaxe to open the chest.
a. lip
Si haces demasiada presión con el sacacorchos, se puede romper el pico de la botella.If you press the corkscrew too hard, the lip of the bottle may break.
b. spout
Cuando veas salir vapor por el pico, saca la tetera del fuego.When you see steam coming out of the spout, take the kettle off the burner.
8. (colloquial) (quantity; used with "y")
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. something
La mamá de Mateo tiene unos treinta y pico años.Mateo's mom is thirty-something years old.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Jorge trabajó en el mismo lugar unos cuarenta y pico de años.Jorge worked in the same place for forty odd years.
Los invitados llegaron a las seis y pico.The guests got here just after six.
9. (colloquial) (drugs)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. peck (colloquial)
Nos saludamos con un pico en la mejilla.We greeted each other with a peck on the cheek.
a. peck on the lips
Los concursantes festejaron dándose un pico.The contestants celebrated with a peck on the lips.
12. (slang) (vulgar) (male genitalia) (Bolivia) (Chile)
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in Bolivia
Regionalism used in Chile
a. dick (colloquial) (vulgar)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
13. (nautical)
