cuadros
“cuadros” means “paintings” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
paintings, pictures
Also: artwork
📝 In Action
Compramos unos cuadros muy bonitos para decorar la sala.
A1We bought some very beautiful paintings to decorate the living room.
El museo exhibe cuadros del siglo dieciocho.
A2The museum exhibits pictures from the eighteenth century.
squares, plaid
Also: checks
📝 In Action
Me gusta la camisa a cuadros rojos y negros.
A2I like the red and black plaid shirt.
Dibujamos varios cuadros pequeños en la hoja de papel.
A2We drew several small squares on the sheet of paper.
staff, symptoms
Also: squad
📝 In Action
Los cuadros directivos de la empresa se reunieron ayer.
B2The management staff (or executive personnel) of the company met yesterday.
Los doctores están analizando los cuadros del paciente.
C1The doctors are analyzing the patient's symptoms (or clinical picture).
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cuadros
Question 1 of 2
Which meaning of 'cuadros' is used in the sentence: 'Siempre lleva pantalones a cuadros.'
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin *quadrum*, meaning 'a square' or 'a four-sided figure.' This root explains all the modern meanings: a painting is in a square frame, a pattern is made of squares, and a staff is a 'squared-up' organizational structure.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'cuadros' the same as 'pinturas'?
They are very similar, but not exactly the same. 'Pinturas' specifically means 'paintings' (things made with paint). 'Cuadros' is broader; it means 'pictures' or 'framed images' and can include paintings, drawings, or even graphs, though it's most often used for art.
I heard someone say 'cuadros' to describe a disease. Why?
In medical Spanish, 'el cuadro clínico' (the clinical picture) is a common phrase. When used in the plural, 'los cuadros' refers to the set of symptoms or the overall medical situation that a patient is experiencing.