jam

la mermelada

bloquearse

jam(

jahm

)

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

noun

1. (culinary)

a. la mermelada

(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)

Hazel likes strawberry jam on her toast.A Hazel le gusta la mermelada de fresa en su pan tostado.

2. (blockage)

a. el atasco

(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)

There is another paper jam in the printer.Hay otro atasco en la impresora.

3. (transport)

a. el embotellamiento

(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 closed lanes caused a jam on the highway.Los carriles cerrados provocaron un embotellamiento en la carretera.

b. el atasco

(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)

Can you manage to see what's causing this jam?¿Alcanzas a ver lo que está provocando este atasco?

4. (crowd)

a. la aglomeración

(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 was a jam at the snack bar before the concert.Hubo una aglomeración en la cafetería antes del concierto.

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

(difficult situation)

a. el aprieto

(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 am in a jam. I need to pay rent and don't have enough money.Estoy en un aprieto. Tengo que pagar la renta y no me llega el dinero.

b. el apuro

(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)

Jessica is in a jam; she's starting a new job and hasn't found anywhere to live yet.Jessica está en un apuro; va a empezar un trabajo nuevo y no ha encontrado casa todavía.

c. el lío

(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)

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

Rita got herself into a bit of a jam at work and is worried she'll lose her job.Rita se metió en un lío en el trabajo y tiene miedo que la despidan.

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

(music)

a. la sesión improvisada

(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 get together for a jam twice a week.Nos juntamos para una sesión improvisada dos veces por semana.

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

intransitive verb

7. (to get stuck)

a. atascarse

The drawer jammed when I tried to pull it out.Se atascó el cajón cuando intenté sacarlo.

b. trabarse

The brake jammed and I can't get it to work.El freno se trabó y no logro hacerlo funcionar.

c. atorarse

His shoelace jammed in the escalator.Su cordón se atoró en la escalera eléctrica.

d. atrancarse

The door jammed and Rafa couldn't get out.La puerta se atrancó y Rafa no pudo salir.

e. encasquillarse

I went hunting, and when I finally had a deer in my sights, the rifle jammed.Fui a cazar, y cuando por fin tenía un ciervo en la mira, el rifle se encasquilló.

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

(to play music)

a. improvisar

The band is getting together tonight to jam.La banda se reunirá esta noche a improvisar.

9. (to become inoperative)

a. bloquearse

My computer jammed when I installed a game.Mi computadora se bloqueó cuando instalé un juego.

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

transitive verb

10. (to block)

a. interferir

Cell phone signals were jammed for a short period as part of a safety procedure.La cobertura de los celulares se interfirió durante un período corto como medida de seguridad.

11. (to wedge)

a. trabar

Jam the door open so the wind won't close it.Traba la puerta para que el aire no la cierre.

12. (to cram)

a. atestar

People jammed the hospital after the train crash.La gente atestó el hospital después del choque ferroviario.

b. bloquear

The protestors jammed the streets.Los manifestantes bloquearon las calles.

13. (to crush)

a. pillarse

The volleyball came down and jammed my finger.El voleibol bajó y se me pilló el dedo.

b. apretarse

I jammed my thumb trying to fix the kitchen sinkMe apreté el pulgar al intentar arreglar el lavabo.

c. machucarse

Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.

(Latin America)

Juan jammed his pinky working on the car.Juan se machucó el meñique arreglando el carro.

jam

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

Noun

1. (fruit preserve)

a. la mermelada

(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)

jam jartarro de mermelada

jam tartpastel or

jam [dʒæm]

noun

1 [of people] aglomeración (f)

you never saw such a jam! ¡había que ver cómo se agolpaba la gente!; there was a jam in the doorway había una aglomeración de gente en la puerta; se había agolpado la gente en la puerta

2 (traffic jam) embotellamiento (m); atasco (m)

a 5km jam of cars una caravana or un atasco de coches de 5km; there are always jams here aquí siempre se atasca el tráfico; aquí siempre hay atascos

3 (obstruction) atasco (m)

there's a jam in the pipe se ha atascado or está atascada la cañería

4 (difficulty) apuro (m); aprieto (m)

to be in a jam estar en un aprieto; estar en apuros; to get into a jam meterse en un aprieto; meterse en apuros; to get sb out of a jam sacar a algn del apuro

transitive verb

1 (block) [+mechanism, drawer, pipe] atascar; [+wheel] trabar; [+exit, road] cerrar; obstruir

it's got jammed se ha atascado; no se puede mover/quitar/retirar etc

2 (cram) [+passage, exit] atestar; abarrotar; [+container] atestar; llenar

people jammed the exits la gente se agolpaba en las salidas

I jammed my finger in the door me pillé el dedo con la puerta

to jam sth into a box meter algo a la fuerza en una caja

we were all jammed together estábamos todos apiñados

the room was jammed with people el cuarto estaba atestado de gente

streets jammed with cars calles atestadas de coches

3 (Telec) (Rad) interferir

intransitive verb

1 [+mechanism, drawer, pipe] atascarse; atorarse; (LAm) [+nut, part, wheel] atascarse; atrancarse; [+gun] encasquillarse

this part has jammed esta pieza se ha atascado; no se puede mover esta pieza; the drawer had jammed (shut/open) el cajón no se podía abrir/cerrar

2 (Mús) improvisar

modifier

jam session (n) jam session (f) actuación improvisada de jazz, rock etc; (actuación improvisada de jazz, rock etc)

jam [dʒæm] (Britain)

noun

1 (food) mermelada (f)

strawberry jam mermelada (f) de fresas; you want jam on it! ¡y un jamón!

the jam is spread very thin hay cosas buenas pero apenas se notan

2 (luck) chorra (informal) (f)

look at that for jam! ¡qué chorra tiene el tío! (informal)

transitive verb

hacer mermelada de

modifier

jam jar (n) (Britain) tarro (m) de mermelada; pote (m) de mermelada

jam pot (n) (Britain)

jam jar See culture box in entry jam.

jam roll (n) (Britain) brazo (m) de gitano con mermelada

jam tart (n) tarta (f) de mermelada

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Examples

Phrases

traffic jam	el atasco
strawberry jam	la mermelada de fresa
jam session	la jam session
jam-packed	abarrotado
jam on	no direct translation
paper jam	el atasco de papel
toast with jam	pan tostado con mermelada