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"Spread" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "extender", and "diffuse" is an adjective which is often translated as "difuso". Learn more about the difference between "spread" and "diffuse" below.
spread(
sprehd
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to extend)
a. extender (arms or legs)
She spread her arms wide and her son ran towards her.Extendió los brazos y su hijo corrió hacia ella.
2. (to diffuse)
a. difundir (news or ideas)
The local newspaper spread the news of an accident.El periódico local difundió la noticia de un accidente.
b. divulgar (news or ideas)
Anyone can spread ideas on social networks.Todo el mundo puede divulgar ideas en las redes sociales.
c. esparcir (news or ideas)
The spies spread the news that the army was about to surrender.Los espías esparcieron la noticia que el ejército se iba a rendir.
d. propagar (a disease or rumor)
Some mosquitoes spread deadly diseases.Algunos mosquitos propagan enfermedades mortales.
e. sembrar (fear or discontent)
Terrorist attacks were a clear attempt to spread fear among the population.Los ataques terroristas fueron un intento claro de sembrar el miedo entre la población.
3. (to place)
a. extender (blanket or tablecloth)
We spread the blanket under a tree.Extendimos la manta bajo un árbol.
4. (to strew)
a. esparcir
There were papers spread about the room.Había periódicos esparcidos por toda la habitación.
a. distribuir
You can spread the payments over five years.Los pagos pueden distribuirse a lo largo de un período de cinco años.
6. (to apply)
a. untar (butter or ointment)
First, spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread.Primero, unta la crema de maní en una rebanada de pan.
7. (to cover)
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
8. (to expand)
b. difundirse (news or ideas)
I hope that bilingualism spreads throughout the United States.Espero que el bilingüismo se difunda por los Estados Unidos.
d. propagarse (disease or fire)
The fire spread to the neighboring houses.El fuego se propagó a las casas vecinas.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
10. (diffusion)
a. la propagación (F) (of disease or rumors)
(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).
The spread of disease is threatening the wildlife population.La propagación de enfermedades es una amenaza para la fauna de la zona.
b. la difusión (F) (of news or ideas)
(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).
There are various ways in which technology contributes to the spread of ideas.La tecnología contribuye a la difusión de ideas de formas diversas.
c. la proliferación (F) (of crime or weapons)
(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 main concern is the spread of nuclear weapons.Nuestra mayor preocupación es la proliferación de armas nucleares.
11. (extent)
a. la extensión (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).
The spread of the city changes from year to year.La extensión de la ciudad cambia de un año a otro.
b. la envergadura (F) (of wings)
(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).
The spread of the eagle's wings is about five feet.La envergadura de las alas del águila es de aproximadamente metro y medio.
12. (range)
a. el espectro (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 responses reflect a broad spread of opinion.Las respuestas reflejan un amplio espectro de opiniones.
13. (finance)
a. el diferencial (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).
There is a spread between the perceived value and the real value.Hay un diferencial entre el valor percibido y el real.
14. (journalism)
a. el artículo (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).
He's got a double-page spread in The Times.Ha conseguido un artículo a doble página en The Times.
15. (culinary)
a. la pasta para untar (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).
You have a choice between several spreads.Puedes elegir entre varias pastas para untar.
16. (colloquial) (feast)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
a. poco preciso
His diffuse essay touched on a variety of topics without resolving any.Su poco preciso ensayo tocaba una variedad de temas sin resolver ninguno.
b. difuso
Paula sent me another of her diffuse emails that seem to go on forever.Paula me envió otro de sus correos electrónicos difusos que parecen no tener fin.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
3. (to scatter)
a. difundir
Tanya placed a screen over the plants to diffuse the light.Tanya colocó una malla sobre las plantas para difundir la luz.
b. esparcir
They are planning to install the servers in a facility on the ocean floor to diffuse heat.Planean instalar los servidores en una instalación en el fondo del mar para esparcir el calor.
c. difuminar
Jessica uses a soft brush to diffuse her blush.Jessica utiliza una brocha suave para difuminar el rubor.
a. difundir
The organization used social media to diffuse information about the disappearance of the students.La organización utilizó las redes sociales para difundir información acerca de la desaparición de los estudiantes.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. difundirse
Heat diffuses as blood circulates through the body.El calor se difunde mientras la sangre circula por el cuerpo.
b. esparcirse
A gas diffuses evenly throughout its container.Un gas se esparce de manera uniforme por todo su contenedor.
c. difuminarse
A sound wave diffuses at varying rates, depending on the density of the medium.Una onda de sonido se difumina a diferentes velocidades, dependiendo de la densidad del medio.
