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"Spade" is a noun which is often translated as "la pala", and "shovel" is a noun which is also often translated as "la pala". Learn more about the difference between "spade" and "shovel" below.
spade(
speyd
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (tool)
a. la pala (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).
Our eccentric neighbor began digging a ditch around his house with just a spade.Nuestro vecino eccéntrico comenzó a cavar una zanja alrededor de su casa con solo una pala.
2. (card)
a. la pica (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).
Cindy realized that Fred had to have the last spade in the deck.Cindy se dio cuenta de que Fred debía de tener la última pica de la baraja.
b. la espada (F) (Spanish deck)
(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).
Diego was dealt a hand without a single spade.A Diego le repartieron una mano sin una sola espada.
3. (archaic) (extremely offensive) (black person)
A word or phrase that is no longer used in contemporary language and is recognized as being from another era (e.g., thou).
A word or phrase that is gravely offensive and taboo in all contexts.
a. el negro (M), la negra (F)
(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).
(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 transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. palear
We need to spade this pile of soil onto the truck.Necesitamos palear este montón de tierra al camión.
spades
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
a. picas
The suits in the French deck of cards are spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds.Los palos de la baraja francesa son picas, corazones, tréboles y diamantes.
shovel(
shuhv
-
uhl
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (tool)
2. (load)
a. la pala (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 grew more and more tired with every shovel of coal, but I couldn't let the fire go out.Me cansé cada vez más con cada pala de carbón, pero no podía dejar que se apagara el fuego.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
3. (to dig)
a. palear
The gravediggers shoveled dirt onto the coffin.Los sepultureros paleaban la tierra sobre el ataúd.
4. (colloquial) (to devour)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. atiborrarse (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
No sooner had I served her the pork chops than she began to shovel the food into her face.En cuanto le serví las chuletas de cerdo ella empezó a atiborrarse de comida.
b. zamparse (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
We were going to be late to the theater, so I shoveled my dinner down.Íbamos a llegar tarde al teatro, así que me zampé la cena.
