(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)

Going to the big city was an awakening for Paula, who had never imagined anything so vast.Ir a la gran ciudad fue un despertar para Paula, quien jamás se imaginó algo tan vasto.

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

no direct translation

Being sent to the front line was a very painful awakening to the realities of war.Ser destinado al frente le abrió los ojos dolorosamente a las realidades de la guerra.

Her mother's death was a real awakening to the fact that life is too short.La muerte de su madre la llevó a tomar verdadera conciencia de que la vida es muy corta.

2. (act of waking up)

a. el despertar

(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)

No one expected his awakening after being in a comma for so long.Nadie se esperó su despertar después de tanto tiempo de estar en coma.

awakening

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

Noun

1. (general)

a. el despertar

(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)

awakening [əˈweɪknɪŋ]

adjective

naciente

noun

despertar (m)

he got a rude awakening tuvo una desagradable sorpresa

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Examples