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"Real" is an adjective which is often translated as "real", and "paja" is a noun which is often translated as "straw". Learn more about the difference between "real" and "paja" below.
real(
rreh
-
ahl
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (genuine)
a. real
Ese país tiene un ejército pequeño que no representa una amenaza real para nuestro país.That country has a small army that is not a real threat to our country.
b. true
La siguiente es una historia real basada en la vida de una víctima del Holocausto.The following is a true story based on the life of a Holocaust victim.
a. royal
Políticos, celebridades y hasta la familia real de España concurrieron al estreno.Politicians, celebrities, and even Spain's royal family attended the premiere.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
a. real
¿Cuál es la tasa de cambio del euro contra el real?What's the exchange rate of the euro against the real?
4. (colloquial) (figurative) (small amount of money)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. penny (colloquial) (figurative)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
Ese reloj es una imitación de un Rolex y no vale ni un real.That watch is a fake Rolex and is not even worth a penny.
a. real
Recuperamos un cofre lleno de reales de un galeón español que se hundió en 1630.We recovered a chest full of reales from a Spanish galleon that sank in 1630.
a. fairground
El caballo que se escapó todavía debe de estar dentro del real de la feria.The horse that escaped must still be inside the fairground.
los reales
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
7. (military)
a. camp
Tenemos que cruzar el río y sentar los reales antes de que caiga el sol.We need to cross the river and set up camp before the sun goes down.
la paja(
pah
-
hah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
a. straw
Ella prefiere beber con una paja para evitar que el hielo entre en su boca.She prefers to drink through a straw to prevent ice from going into her mouth.
3. (padding)
4. (vulgar) (act of masturbation)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
a. hand job (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Su novia le hizo una paja.His girlfriend gave him a hand job.
b. wank (vulgar) (United Kingdom)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Pepe se hizo una paja en el parque.Pepe had a wank in the park.
c. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
¿Te acabas de hacer una paja?Did you just jerk off?
Rodolfo está arriba haciéndose una paja.Rodolfo's upstairs jerking off.
5. (colloquial) (bore) (River Plate)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. drag (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
El lunes empiezan las clases. ¡Qué paja!School starts next Monday. What a drag!
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Llovía tanto que nos dio paja ir a la fiesta y nos quedamos en casa.It was raining so hard we didn't feel like going to the party so we stayed home.
¿Quién puede sacar a pasear al perro? A mí me da paja.Who can take the dog out for a walk? I can't be bothered.
6. (nonsense) (Central America) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
