vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Tap" is a noun which is often translated as "el grifo", and "knock" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "golpear". Learn more about the difference between "tap" and "knock" below.
tap(
tahp
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
c. la canilla (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).
Don’t leave the tap running while you brush your teeth.No dejes la canilla abierta cuando te lavas los dientes.
a. la llave del gas (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).
Have you turned the tap off at the main?¿Has cerrado la llave principal del gas?
a. la espita (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).
Abigail opened the tap and drew off a small quantity of brandy for me to try.Abigail abrió la espita y sacó una pequeña cantidad de coñac para que lo probara.
4. (light blow)
b. el golpecito (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).
Amelia felt a tap on her shoulder.Amelia sintió un golpecito en el hombro.
a. el micrófono de escucha (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 politician suspected there was a tap and tried to disable it.El político sospechaba que había un micrófono de escucha e intentó inutilizarlo.
6. (dance)
c. el zapateo (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).
Fred Astaire was very adept at tap and ballroom dancing.Fred Astaire era muy experto en el zapateo y el baile de salón.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. dar un golpecito a
Emma tapped her nose to show that it was a secret.Emma se dio unos golpecitos en la nariz para indicar que era un secreto.
c. tamborilear con
The driver tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited at the lights.El chofer tamborileaba con los dedos sobre el volante mientras esperaba en el semáforo.
9. (to wiretap)
a. intervenir (telephone)
The police admitted that they tapped his phone.La policía admitió que habían intervenido su teléfono.
b. pinchar (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Careful what you say. I think our phone has been tapped.Ten cuidado con lo que dices. Creo que han pinchado nuestro teléfono.
c. interceptar (conversation)
They were tapping his conversations with the Moscow agent.Estaban escuchando sus conversaciones con el agente en Moscú.
10. (to make use of)
a. explotar
The project aims to tap underground water resources for the benefit of coastal regions.El objetivo del proyecto es de explotar depósitos de agua subterránea en beneficio de las zonas costeras.
b. aprovechar
Western provinces are making great efforts to tap natural resources to boost their economy.Las provincias del oeste están haciendo grandes esfuerzos para aprovechar los recursos naturales y así impulsar su economía.
a. sacar
Don’t listen to him. He’s trying to tap you for money.No le hagas caso. Está intentando sacarte dinero.
12. (slang) (vulgar) (to have sex with)
A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
c. cogerse (vulgar) (Central America) (Mexico) (Southern Cone)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
Did he already tap his girlfriend?¿Ya se cogió a la novia?
13. (to appoint)
a. nombrar
It’s rumored that the general will be tapped to be Secretary of Defense.Se dice que van a nombrar Ministro de Defensa al general.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. dar golpecitos
The doorbell didn’t work, so I tried tapping on the window.No funcionaba el timbre, así que intenté hacerme escuchar dando golpecitos en la ventana.
c. repiquetear
When we woke up, all we could hear was the rain tapping against the window.Cuando nos despertamos, lo único que se oía era la lluvia que repiqueteaba contra la ventana.
taps
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
15. (military)
a. el toque de silencio (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).
A bugle player played taps at the corporal's funeral.Un clarinero tocó el toque de silencio en el funeral del cabo.
knock(
nak
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to hit)
a. golpear
You should knock your boots on the wall to get the mud off.Deberías golpear las botas contra la pared para quitarles el barro.
b. dar con (a part of one's body)
I knocked my knee on the stair because I slipped when I was running.Di con la rodilla contra el escalón porque resbalé cuando iba corriendo.
2. (colloquial) (to judge)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. hablar mal de
He knocks sushi, but he's only had it from the buffet.Habla mal del sushi, pero solo lo ha comido del bufet.
b. poner por los suelos
You can't knock the way other people live without understanding their circumstances.No se puede poner por los suelos el modo de vida de otras personas sin comprender sus circunstancias.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
3. (to hit)
a. golpear
The earth shook as the waves knocked against the rocks.La tierra se estremecía cuando las olas golpeaban contra las rocas.
b. llamar a la puerta (in order to enter)
When she knocks, will you let my friend in?Cuando llame a la puerta, ¿le abres a mi amiga?
c. tocar a la puerta (in order to enter) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
I just want to take a nap, but someone has to come and knock every two minutes.Solo quiero echar una siesta, pero alguien tiene que venir y tocar a la puerta cada dos minutos.
4. (to collide)
a. chocar
I wasn't paying attention and I knocked into the tree.Me distraje y choqué contra el árbol.
5. (mechanics)
a. golpetear
The engine is knocking. I'll have to bring it to the mechanic.El motor está golpeteando. Lo tendré que llevar al mecánico.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
6. (blow)
7. (sound)
b. toc (onomatopoeia)
"Knock knock," the little lambs heard when the wolf called at their door."Toc toc", escucharon los corderitos cuando el lobo llamó a su puerta.
8. (colloquial) (setback)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. el revés (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 accident with the crane was a knock to the progress of the project.El accidente con la grúa fue un revés para el avance del proyecto.
9. (colloquial) (judgement)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. la crítica (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).
Her comment was a knock at the views he had expressed in the article.Su comentario era una crítica a las opiniones que él había expresado en el artículo.
10. (mechanics)
a. el golpeteo (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).
Did you hear that knock in the engine? That's what I'm going to fix.¿Has oído ese golpeteo del motor? Eso es lo que voy a arreglar.
