zumbar

to buzz

to beat

zumbar(soom-bahr)

intransitive verb

1. (to produce continuous sound)

a. to buzz (insect or ears)

La abeja zumbaba alrededor de las flores.

The bee was buzzing around the flowers.

b. to hum (machinery)

En la oficina se oía cómo zumbaban los ventiladores.

You could hear the fans humming in the office.

c. to whir (machinery)

Desde lejos se empezó a oír el helicóptero zumbando.

From far away the sound of a helicopter whirring began to be heard.

d. to ring (ears)

Pablo fue al doctor porque le zumbaban los oídos.

Pablo went to the doctor because his ears were ringing.

e. to whizz (bullets)

Las balas zumbaban a nuestro alrededor.

Bullets whizzed past us.

f. to make a whining noise (engine)

El motor ha estado zumbando, así que llevé el auto al mecánico.

The engine has been making a whining noise, so I took my car to the mechanic.

2.

(colloquial)

(to be near)

a. not to be far off

Todavía no se gradúa, pero ya le zumba.

He hasn't graduated yet, but it isn't far off.

3.

(colloquial)

(to depart)

(Cuba)

a. to leave

Al poco tiempo de llegar, zumbó y no regresó.

Shortly after getting there, she left and never came back.

transitive verb

4.

(colloquial)

(to hit)

a. to beat

Unos delincuentes zumbaron a mi vecino, que terminó en el hospital.

Some criminals beat my neighbor, and he ended up in the hospital.

b. to slap

Se estuvieron gritando hasta que ella le zumbó.

They were shouting at each other until she slapped him.

5.

(colloquial)

(to make fun of)

a. to tease

Los otros no dejan de zumbar a Pedro, el niño nuevo del colegio.

The others won't stop teasing Pedro, the new kid at the school.

6.

(colloquial)

(to throw)

(Dominican Republic)

(Venezuela)

a. to chuck

Zumba la pelota lo más lejos que puedas.

Chuck the ball as far as you can.

b. to toss

Zumbamos una moneda a la fuente y pedimos un deseo.

We tossed a coin in the fountain and made a wish.

7.

(colloquial)

(to shove)

(Nicaragua)

a. to push

Alguien me zumbó y me caí al suelo.

Somebody pushed me and I fell over.

zumbarse

pronominal verb

8.

(colloquial)

(to make fun; used with "de")

a. to tease

¡Ya dejen de zumbarse de mí!

Stop teasing me!

9.

(vulgar)

(to have sex with)

a. to fuck

(vulgar)

Anoche Juan se zumbó a una que conoció en la fiesta.

Last night Juan fucked some girl he met at the party.

zumbar

intransitive verb

1. (producir ruido)

a. to buzz

2. (máquina)

a. to whirr, to hum

me zumban los oídosmy ears are buzzing

3. (fig)

a.

pasar zumbandoto shoot past

4. (fig)

a.

venir zumbandoto come running

5. (fig)

a.

salir zumbandoto dash off

transitive verb

6. (colloquial)

a. to beat, to thump

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

zumbar

intransitive verb

1 (sonar) [+insecto] to buzz; [+máquina] to hum; whirr; [+oídos] to ring; buzz

zumbarle a algn los oídos: me zumban los oídos my ears are ringing; I have a buzzing in my ears; le estarán zumbando los oídos his ears must be burning

2

salir zumbando to shoot off (familiar)

salió zumbando cuando vio a la policía he shot off as soon as he caught sight of the police (familiar); tengo que salir zumbando para no perder el tren I must rush so I don't miss the train

¡horror! ¡la policía! tengo que salir zumbando de aquí

3 (quedar cerca) to be very close

no está en peligro ahora, pero le zumba he's not actually in danger now but it's not far away

transitive verb

1 (burlar) to tease

2 (golpear) to beat; hit

3 (Latinoamérica) (tirar) to chuck (familiar)

4 (robar) to nick (muy_familiar)

5 (copular con) to fuck (vulgar)

pronominal verb

zumbarse

1 (burlarse)

zumbarse de algn to tease sb; poke fun at sb

2 (And) (Caribe) (marcharse) to clear off (familiar)

3 (Caribe) (pasarse) to overstep the mark

4 (copular con)

zumbarse a algn to fuck sb (vulgar)

5 (masturbarse)

zumbársela to wank (vulgar)