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"Pico" is a form of "pico", a noun which is often translated as "beak". "Pala" is a noun which is often translated as "shovel". Learn more about the difference between "pico" and "pala" below.
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)
la pala(
pah
-
lah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
1. (tool)
a. shovel
Necesito una pala más grande para quitar la nieve de la puerta.I need a bigger shovel to remove the snow from the doorway.
c. dustpan (used with a broom or brush) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
Tendrás que utilizar el cepillo y la pala para barrer porque la aspiradora no funciona.You'll have to use the broom and dustpan to sweep up as the vacuum cleaner isn't working.
2. (culinary)
a. spatula (for lifting or turning)
Te iría mejor comprar una pala de madera para no rayar la sartén.You'd be better off buying a wooden spatula so you don't scratch the frying pan.
c. fish knife (piece of cutlery)
A la hora de comer pescado, hay que tomar el tenedor con la mano izquierda y la pala con la derecha.When eating fish, you should hold the fork in your left hand and the fish knife in your right.
d. scoop (for sugar or flour)
Puedes usar una cuchara en lugar de una pala de azúcar.You could use a spoon instead of a sugar scoop.
f. peel (for pizza or bread)
Espolvoree un poco de harina sobre la pala de madera para que la masa de pizza no se pegue.Sprinkle some flour on the wooden peel so that the pizza dough doesn't stick.
a. paddle (table tennis or paddle tennis) (United States)
Regionalism used in the United States
La pala de ping-pong tiene que ser más ligera.The ping-pong paddle needs to be lighter.
b. bat (table tennis or paddle tennis) (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
La pala está muy desgastada de darle a la pelota.The bat is very worn from hitting the ball.
c. racket (frontenis)
Traen sus palas para jugar un par de partidas de frontenis.Bring your rackets so we can play a couple of rounds of frontenis.
4. (canoeing)
a. upper (part above sole)
Las palas de estos zapatos son de piel.The upper on these shoes is made of leather.
b. vamp (technical) (part covering front of foot)
A word or phrase that is only used by experts, professionals, or academics in a particular field (e.g., exposition).
La pala y la parte superior son sintéticas.The vamp and upper are synthetic.
7. (colloquial) (anatomy)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. (upper) front tooth
Cuando era pequeña, tenía unas palas enormes.When I was a child, my upper front teeth were enormous.
8. (colloquial) (guile)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
