C2 · 50 words
Surfaces and materials in Spanish
How something feels — and how a material is told apart.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
A material is described on two levels: what it is, and how its surface feels. The second is the harder one. Áspero and rugoso are both « rough » and do not mean the same thing: one scratches, the other has a structure. The word to carry away is el tacto, in el tacto graso and el tacto frío del metal. Spanish uses it for three things English keeps apart: the sense itself, which English calls « touch »; the way one particular surface behaves under the hand, which English calls « the feel » and which is the sense in this list; and knowing how to handle people, which is « tact », tener mucho tacto. Three words for one, and the third has travelled far enough that « the tact of the metal » is not a sentence about a chair.
The words
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Verb (3)
astillarseto splinterVerbC2
La madera seca se astilla al clavar sin taladro.Dry wood splinters if a nail goes in without a pilot hole.
desconcharseto chip offVerbC2
El esmalte se desconcha en la zona del tirador.The enamel chips off around the handle.
resquebrajarseto crazeVerbC2
El barro se resquebraja al secarse demasiado rápido.Clay crazes if it dries too fast.
Adjective (13)
ásperorough to the touchAdjectiveC2
La lana sin lavar es áspera al tacto.Unwashed wool is rough to the touch.
rugosotexturedAdjectiveC2
La pared rugosa retiene mejor la pintura.A textured wall holds the paint better.
tersosmooth and tautAdjectiveC2
La superficie tersa no deja ver ninguna junta.A smooth taut surface lets no joint show.
sedososilkyAdjectiveC2
El acabado sedoso se consigue con lija muy fina.The silky finish is got with very fine abrasive paper.
granulosograinyAdjectiveC2
La masa quedó granulosa por falta de reposo.The dough turned grainy for want of resting.
porosoporousAdjectiveC2
La piedra porosa absorbe el agua en minutos.Porous stone takes up water in minutes.
quebradizobrittleAdjectiveC2
El plástico se vuelve quebradizo con el frío.Plastic turns brittle in the cold.
maleablemalleableAdjectiveC2
El plomo es maleable incluso en frío.Lead is malleable even when cold.
dúctilductileAdjectiveC2
Un metal dúctil se estira en hilo sin romperse.A ductile metal draws out into wire without breaking.
mullidosoft and yieldingAdjectiveC2
El asiento mullido se hunde demasiado.The soft yielding seat sinks too far.
esponjosospongyAdjectiveC2
La miga esponjosa señala una buena fermentación.A spongy crumb is the sign of a good fermentation.
pegajosostickyAdjectiveC2
La resina deja el mango pegajoso.Resin leaves the handle sticky.
resbaladizoslipperyAdjectiveC2
El suelo pulido resulta resbaladizo con humedad.A polished floor turns slippery when it is damp.
Phrase (24)
la absorción superficialthe absorption at the surfacePhraseC2
La absorción superficial decide cuánto barniz hace falta.The absorption at the surface decides how much varnish is needed.
la elasticidad residualthe springiness that is leftPhraseC2
La elasticidad residual del cable se pierde tras años de uso.The springiness that is left in the cable is lost after years of use.
la fisura por fatigathe fatigue crackPhraseC2
La fisura por fatiga no se ve hasta que la pieza falla.The fatigue crack is not seen until the part fails.
el desgaste por rozamientothe wear from rubbingPhraseC2
El desgaste por rozamiento se concentra en el borde.The wear from rubbing concentrates at the edge.
la capa de óxidothe layer of oxidePhraseC2
La capa de óxido verde del cobre protege el metal de debajo.The green layer of oxide on copper protects the metal underneath.
la fibra torcidathe twisted grainPhraseC2
La fibra torcida desvía la sierra.Twisted grain pushes the saw off line.
la trama del tejidothe weave of the clothPhraseC2
La trama del tejido se ve a contraluz.The weave of the cloth shows against the light.
el grosor del cartónthe thickness of the cardPhraseC2
El grosor del cartón decide si traspasa la tinta.The thickness of the card decides whether the ink comes through.
la caída de la telathe hang of the clothPhraseC2
La caída de la tela cambia por completo el vestido.The hang of the cloth changes the dress completely.
el tacto grasothe greasy feelPhraseC2
El tacto graso indica que queda cera sin retirar.A greasy feel means there is wax still to come off.
el tacto frío del metalthe cold feel of the metalPhraseC2
El tacto frío del metal sorprende en una silla.The cold feel of the metal is a surprise in a chair.
la chapa laminadathe rolled sheetPhraseC2
La chapa laminada lleva un poco de estaño.The rolled sheet carries a little tin.
el material compuestothe composite materialPhraseC2
El material compuesto pesa la mitad con la misma rigidez.The composite material weighs half as much for the same stiffness.
la fibra de vidriothe glass fibrePhraseC2
La fibra de vidrio refuerza el casco de la embarcación.Glass fibre reinforces the hull of the boat.
la capa de imprimaciónthe primer coatPhraseC2
Sin capa de imprimación la pintura no agarra.Without a primer coat the paint does not hold.
el sellado de la juntathe sealing of the jointPhraseC2
El sellado de la junta se renueva cada pocos años.The sealing of the joint is renewed every few years.
la contracción al enfriarthe shrinkage on coolingPhraseC2
La contracción al enfriar obliga a dejar una holgura.The shrinkage on cooling makes it necessary to leave a gap.
el punto de reblandecimientothe softening pointPhraseC2
El punto de reblandecimiento está muy por debajo del de fusión.The softening point lies well below the melting point.
la resistencia a la abrasiónthe resistance to abrasionPhraseC2
La resistencia a la abrasión decide el uso en un pasillo.The resistance to abrasion decides the use in a corridor.
la barrera de vaporthe vapour barrierPhraseC2
La barrera de vapor se comprueba antes de cerrar el tabique.The vapour barrier is checked before the partition is closed.
el aislamiento acústico del murothe sound insulation of the wallPhraseC2
El aislamiento acústico del muro no llega a lo prometido.The sound insulation of the wall falls short of what was promised.
el grano de la lijathe grit of the sandpaperPhraseC2
Se empieza por un grano de lija grueso.One starts with a coarse grit of sandpaper.
el pulido a espejothe mirror polishPhraseC2
El pulido a espejo delata cualquier arañazo.The mirror polish gives away every scratch.
el material de rellenothe fillerPhraseC2
El material de relleno se contrae al secar.The filler shrinks as it dries.
Noun (f) (6)
la rugosidadthe roughness depthNoun (f)C2
La rugosidad se mide con un palpador.The roughness depth is measured with a stylus.
la tenacidadthe toughnessNoun (f)C2
La tenacidad importa más que la dureza en un martillo.Toughness matters more than hardness in a hammer.
la vetathe grain of the woodNoun (f)C2
Hay que cepillar siguiendo la veta.The wood has to be planed with the grain.
la adherenciathe adhesionNoun (f)C2
La adherencia mejora si se lija antes.Adhesion is better if the surface is sanded first.
la higroscopiathe taking up of moistureNoun (f)C2
La higroscopia de la sal complica el almacenamiento.The way salt takes up moisture complicates storage.
la rebabathe burrNoun (f)C2
La rebaba se retira antes de montar la pieza.The burr is taken off before the part is fitted.
Noun (m) (4)
el aglomeradothe chipboardNoun (m)C2
El aglomerado se hincha en cuanto se moja.Chipboard swells the moment it gets wet.
el contrachapadothe plywoodNoun (m)C2
El contrachapado aguanta mejor la torsión.Plywood stands up to twisting better.
el revestimientothe coatingNoun (m)C2
El revestimiento antiadherente dura pocos años.The non-stick coating lasts only a few years.
el chapadothe veneerNoun (m)C2
El chapado se levantó por el vapor.The veneer lifted because of the steam.
This list belongs to Language and expression — 22 lists and 1 102 words that can also be practised as a whole.