stone
vs
rock

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"Stone" is a noun which is often translated as "la piedra", and "rock" is a noun which is often translated as "la roca". Learn more about the difference between "stone" and "rock" below.

stone(

ston

)

A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).

noun

1. (mineral)

a. la piedra

(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).

(F)

All the houses in the village are made of stone.Todas las casas del pueblo están hechas de piedra.

Ouch! I stubbed my toe on that stone.¡Ay! Me golpeé el dedo del pie contra esa piedra.

2. (piece of rock)

a. la piedra

(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).

(F)

There's a stone in my shoe.Tengo una piedra en el zapato.

3. (gem)

a. la piedra

(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).

(F)

The queen was wearing a tiara encrusted with several precious stones.La reina llevaba una tiara incrustada de varias piedras preciosas.

4. (gravestone)

a. la lápida

(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).

(F)

We placed flowers by the unknown soldier's stone.Colocamos flores al lado de la lápida del soldado desconocido.

5. (pit)

a. el hueso

(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).

(M)

You can use a straw to remove the stones from cherries.Puedes usar una pajilla para quitarle los huesos a las cerezas.

b. el carozo

(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).

(M)

You can grow a peach from its stone.Puedes cultivar un melocotón sembrando el carozo.

6. (medicine)

a. la piedra

(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).

(F)

Passing kidney stones can be quite painful.Pasar las piedras del riñón puede ser bastante doloroso.

b. el cálculo

(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).

(M)

I had three stones removed from my gallbladder.Me quitaron tres cálculos de la vesícula.

7. (weight)

Regionalism used in the United Kingdom

(United Kingdom)

a. 6.35 kg

My sister put on two stone in her pregnancy.Mi hermana engordó casi 13 kilos durante el embarazo.

An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).

adjective

8. (material)

a. de piedra

The church's high stone walls are its most striking feature.Lo que más impresiona de la iglesia son sus altas paredes de piedra.

A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).

transitive verb

9. (to throw stones at)

a. apedrear

In ancient times, people were stoned as a punishment for their sins.En la Antigüedad, se apedreaba a la gente como castigo por sus pecados.

b. lapidar

In some countries, women can be stoned for trying to get a divorce.En algunos países, una mujer puede ser lapidada por tratar de divorciarse.

10. (to remove the stone from)

a. deshuesar

Stone and dice six plums and slow cook them in sugar to make jam.Deshuesa y corta en cubitos seis ciruelas y cocínalas en azúcar para hacer mermelada.

rock(

rak

)

A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).

noun

1. (mineral)

a. la roca

(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).

(F)

The beach was full of rocks.La playa estaba llena de rocas.

b. la piedra

(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).

(F)

There's a rock in my shoe.Tengo una piedra en el zapato.

2. (music)

a. el rock

(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).

(M)

The only music worth listening to is rock.El rock es la única música que vale la pena escuchar.

3. (jewel)

a. el pedrusco

(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).

(M)

(colloquial)

She's been showing that rock off to everyone since she got engaged.Anda mostrándole ese pedrusco a todo el mundo desde que se comprometió.

A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).

transitive verb

4. (to move from side to side)

a. mecer

He rocked the baby until he fell asleep.Meció al bebé hasta que se quedó dormido.

b. acunar

My daughter is rocking her doll.Mi hija está acunando su muñeca.

5. (to shake)

a. sacudir

The thunder rocked our house.Los truenos sacudieron la casa.

b. estremecer (emotionally)

The entire community was rocked by the child's death.La comunidad entera fue estremecida por la muerte del niño.

6. (to look really good in)

a. verse muy bien en

Joanna is rocking that dress, don't you think?Joanna se ve muy bien en ese traje, ¿no crees?

b. lucir muy bien en

Wow! Hector is really rocking that tuxedo.¡Guau! Héctor de verdad que luce muy bien en ese esmoquin.

This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.

no direct translation

I don't like Laura's new haircut. - Really? I think she's rocking it.No me gusta el nuevo corte de Laura. - ¿En serio? A mí me parece que le queda muy bien.

What are you reading? - It's a list of ten actors who rock the bald look.¿Qué lees? - Es una lista de diez actores que se ven superbién con la cabeza rapada.

An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).

intransitive verb

7. (to move gently)

a. mecerse

The baby rocked quietly in her cradle.El bebé se meció silenciosamente en su cuna.

b. balancearse

The branches rocked gently in the breeze.Las ramas se balancearon suavemente en la brisa.

8. (to shake)

a. sacudirse

The bunker rocked as bombs fell.El búnker se sacudía mientras caían las bombas.

b. estremecerse

The boat rocked violently among the waves during the storm.El barco se estremecía con violencia entre las olas durante la tormenta.