clavado
“clavado” means “dive” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
dive
Also: plunge
📝 In Action
El atleta hizo un clavado perfecto desde la plataforma.
A2The athlete did a perfect dive from the platform.
Me da miedo echarme un clavado en la parte honda.
B1I'm afraid to take a dive in the deep end.
Vimos los clavados en las Olimpiadas.
A2We watched the diving at the Olympics.
nailed, fixed
Also: driven into
📝 In Action
El letrero está clavado en el árbol.
A2The sign is nailed to the tree.
Se quedó clavado en el sitio por el susto.
B1He stood rooted to the spot out of fear.
Tenía un clavo clavado en la madera.
B1There was a nail driven into the wood.
obsessed, infatuated
Also: hooked
📝 In Action
Juan está muy clavado con esa nueva serie de Netflix.
B1Juan is really hooked on that new Netflix series.
No me hables de él, estoy muy clavada.
B2Don't talk to me about him, I'm really infatuated.
Se quedó clavado con el problema de matemáticas hasta que lo resolvió.
B2He got obsessed with the math problem until he solved it.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "clavado" in Spanish:
dive→driven into→fixed→hooked→infatuated→nailed→obsessed→plunge→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: clavado
Question 1 of 3
If you are at a pool and someone says '¡Qué buen clavado!', what are they talking about?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Spanish verb 'clavar' (to nail), which comes from the Latin word 'clavis' meaning 'key' or 'clavus' meaning 'nail'. The sense of a 'dive' comes from the body being straight and sharp like a nail when entering the water.
First recorded: 13th century (in its physical sense)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'clavado' always a bad thing when it means obsessed?
Not at all! It usually just means you are very focused or intense about something you love, though it can mean 'infatuated' in a romantic way.
Can I use 'clavado' for a dive in Spain?
You will be understood, but people in Spain are more likely to say 'salto' or 'picado' for a dive. 'Clavado' is much more common in Mexico and the Americas.
What does 'clavadito' mean?
It's the cute version (diminutive) of the word. It's often used to say someone looks 'exactly' like someone else: 'Es clavadito a su abuelo' (He is the spitting image of his grandfather).