vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Rubbed" is a form of "rub", a transitive verb which is often translated as "frotar". "Nuzzling" is a form of "nuzzle", a transitive verb which is often translated as "acariciar con el hocico". Learn more about the difference between "rubbed" and "nuzzling" below.
rub(
ruhb
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. frotar
He was rubbing his hands together in excitement for dinner.Se frotaba las manos con ganas para la cena.
b. restregar
Rubbing your chopsticks together is an insult to the host in Japan.Restregar los palillos es un insulto al anfitrión en Japón.
c. friccionar
Don't rub your scalp with the towel to dry it.No te fricciones el cuero cabelludo con la toalla para secarlo.
d. refregar
Jake woke up, rubbed his eyes and got out of bed.Jake se despertó, se refregó los ojos y se levantó de la cama.
e. masajear (to pass over with the hands)
The masseuse rubbed my back and my legs.La masajista me masajeó la espalda y las piernas.
2. (culinary)
a. mezclar
Rub the spices into the meat and let it marinate for an hour.Mezcla las especias con la carne y déjala marinar por una hora.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. rozar
I get nervous when the bus is packed and people rub against me.Me pongo nervioso cuando el autobús está lleno y la gente me roza.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
I'm giving my knee a rub because I hit it on the desk.Me estoy frotando la rodilla porque me pegué contra el escritorio.
I'm really stressed. Can you give me a back rub?Estoy muy estresado. ¿Puedes darme un masaje de espalda?
5. (culinary)
a. el adobo (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).
If you tenderize the meat before you add the rub, it will taste better.Si ablandas la carne antes de añadir el adobo, estará más rica.
6. (difficulty)
a. el problema (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).
The rub is that we don't have money for a plane ticket.El problema es que no tenemos dinero para viajar en avión.
nuzzle(
nuh
-
zuhl
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. acariciar con el hocico
The dog nuzzled her owner to try to wake her.La perra acarició a su dueña con el hocico tratando de despertarla.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
2. (to snuggle)
a. acurrucarse
Holly nuzzled against Beto and eventually fell asleep.Holly se acurrucó contra Beto y eventualmente se durmió.
