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"Salpica" is a form of "salpicar", a transitive verb which is often translated as "to splash". "Pica" is a form of "pica", a noun which is often translated as "pike". Learn more about the difference between "salpica" and "pica" below.
salpicar(
sahl
-
pee
-
kahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
c. to sprinkle
Salpica las hojas de rúcula con jugo de limón.Sprinkle the arugula leaves with lemon juice.
2. (to affect)
3. (to spread)
a. to pepper
Su primer poema estaba salpicado de repeticiones y metáforas.Her first poem was peppered with repetition and metaphor.
la pica(
pee
-
kah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
1. (stake)
a. pike
Lo ejecutaron y clavaron su cabeza en una pica.He was executed and his head stuck on a pike.
3. (colloquial) (rivalry) (Andes) (Southern Cone)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. resentment
Existe bastante pica entre los dos equipos.There is bitter resentment between those two teams.
This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
5. (colloquial) (on a bus)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. ticket inspector
La pica descubrió a alguien que viajaba sin pasaje.The ticket inspector found someone traveling without a ticket.
las picas
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
a. spades
En este juego de cartas, las picas mandan sobre los corazones.In this card game, spades rule over hearts.
