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"Shadow" is a noun which is often translated as "la sombra", and "shade" is a noun which is also often translated as "la sombra". Learn more about the difference between "shadow" and "shade" below.
shadow(
shah
-
do
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
2. (vestige)
a. la sombra (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Drugs and alcohol have reduced him to a shadow of who he once was.Las drogas y el alcohol lo han reducido a una mera sombra del que fue alguna vez.
4. (trace)
5. (ghost)
a. la presencia (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
A shadow haunts this old house.En esta vieja casa hay una presencia.
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
a. opositor
The shadow trade minister complained about the new law.El ministro de comercio opositor se quejó de la nueva ley.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
7. (to follow)
a. seguir sigilosamente
The informant failed to notice that the police were shadowing him.El informante no se percató de que la policía lo estaba siguiendo sigilosamente.
9. (to observe)
a. ver cómo trabaja
I spent the first week at work shadowing one of the engineers.Pasé la primera semana en el trabajo viendo cómo trabajaba uno de los ingenieros.
b. observar
It would be helpful if the new employee could shadow you for the day.Sería de mucha ayuda si el nuevo empleado te pudiera observar durante el día.
shadows
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
10. (dark area)
a. las sombras (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Beware of what lurks in the shadows!¡Ten cuidado de lo que ronda en las sombras!
11. (countenance)
a. las ojeras (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
What time did you go to sleep last night? The shadows under your eyes are very noticeable.¿A qué hora te acostaste anoche? Tienes unas ojeras muy notables.
shade(
sheyd
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (dark area)
3. (literary) (ghost)
A word or phrase restricted in usage to literature or established writing (e.g., sex, once upon a time).
a. el fantasma (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).
They say that the beheaded bellhop still walks the hotel as a shade.Se dice que el botones degollado aún anda por el hotel como fantasma.
4. (lampshade)
a. la pantalla (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
When you turn on the lamp, you can see the painting on its shade.Cuando enciendes la lámpara, se puede ver la pintura sobre la pantalla.
b. el poquito (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 Chemisty final was a shade more difficult than the first examEl final de Química fue un poquito más difícil que el primer examen.
c. el poquitín (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 beans from the casada are missing just a shade of salt.A los frijoles de la casada les falta un poquitín de sal.
6. (art)
a. la sombra (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
I used watered down black paint to add shade and texture to the bathroom walls.Rebajé pintura negra con agua y la usé para hacer sombras y un diseño a las paredes del baño.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. dar sombra
Those oak trees shade the house the whole year.Esos robles le dan sombra a la casa todo el año.
b. proteger del sol
Park over there where the house will shade the car.Estaciona allá donde la casa proteja el auto del sol.
shades
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
9. (colloquial) (sunglasses)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. los anteojos de sol (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).
I'm going skiing, but I can't find my gloves or my shades.Voy a ir a esquiar, pero no encuentro ni los guantes ni los anteojos de sol.
b. las gafas de sol (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Aviators are my favorite kind of shades.Las de aviador son mi modelo preferido de gafas de sol.
c. los lentes de sol (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).
I'm wearing shades because I don't want people to notice my black eye.Estoy usando lentes de sol porque no quiero que nadie vea que tengo un ojo morado.
a. la persiana (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Pull down the shades so we can project the movie on the wall.Baja la persiana para poder proyectar la película en la pared.
11. (reminder)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Look at that tricycle. Shades of my childhood!Mira ese triciclo. ¡Me recuerda a mi infancia!
That smell... shades of my grandma's cooking!¡Huele como la comida que hacía mi abuela!
