Inklingo
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cuerda

/KWEHR-dah/

rope

A thick brown fibrous rope coiled loosely on a simple background, illustrating material used for tying.

Cuerda meaning 'rope' (thick fiber material for tying).

cuerda(noun)

fA1

rope

?

thick fiber material for tying

,

cord

?

thick string or thin rope

Also:

line

?

a boundary or hanging line

📝 In Action

Atamos el bote al muelle con una cuerda gruesa.

A2

We tied the boat to the dock with a thick rope.

Puso la ropa mojada en la cuerda de tender.

A1

She put the wet clothes on the clothesline.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • soga (rope (often thicker))
  • cable (cable, wire)

Common Collocations

  • saltar a la cuerda – to jump rope
  • cuerda de tender – clothesline

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Reminder

Even though many Spanish nouns ending in -a are feminine, remember that cuerda follows this rule consistently: it always uses 'la' (la cuerda).

⭐ Usage Tips

Rope vs. Thread

Use cuerda for thick rope or cord. If you mean thin thread (like for sewing), the correct word is hilo.

A single, thin, taut metal string stretched across the dark wooden surface of a musical instrument.

Cuerda meaning 'string' used on a musical instrument.

cuerda(noun)

fB1

string

?

musical instrument

Also:

wire

?

for piano or harp

📝 In Action

Necesito cambiar la sexta cuerda de mi guitarra.

B1

I need to change the sixth string on my guitar.

El violín tiene cuatro cuerdas.

A2

The violin has four strings.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • instrumentos de cuerda – string instruments
  • tocar las cuerdas – to play the strings

❌ Common Pitfalls

String Section

Mistake: "Using 'sección de cuerdas' for the orchestra section."

Correction: While understandable, the preferred term for the orchestra section is *la sección de violines* or *los instrumentos de cuerda*.

A tightly wound, flat metal spiral mainspring mechanism used to power a mechanical device.

Cuerda meaning 'spring' (a coiled mechanism in a toy or device).

cuerda(noun)

fB2

spring

?

coil mechanism in a clock or toy

,

winding mechanism

?

part that needs winding

Also:

wind-up

?

when referring to a toy

📝 In Action

Tienes que darle cuerda al reloj de pared cada semana.

B2

You have to wind up the wall clock every week.

Ese juguete de cuerda ya no funciona.

B1

That wind-up toy no longer works.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • resorte (spring (generic))

Common Collocations

  • dar cuerda – to wind up (a mechanism)

Idioms & Expressions

  • Dar cuerda a alguien – To encourage, provoke, or egg someone on (to talk or act more)
  • Estar fuera de cuerda – To be out of tune or mentally unbalanced (less common)

⭐ Usage Tips

Figurative 'Dar Cuerda'

When you dar cuerda a alguien, you are giving them energy or motivation, often to keep a story or argument going. It’s like winding up a toy to make it move.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: cuerda

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'cuerda' in its figurative sense (related to winding up)?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

cordón(shoelace, cord) - noun
encordar(to string (a racquet or instrument)) - verb
acuerdo(agreement, consensus) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'cuerda' ever used to mean sanity or mental balance?

Yes, but usually only in negative contexts or idioms. For example, *perder la cuerda* (to lose one's sense/mind) is sometimes heard, though the phrase *perder la cabeza* is much more common. The idea relates to a mechanism being 'unwound' or loose.

How is *cuerda* different from *soga*?

Both mean 'rope,' but *soga* often implies a thicker, heavier rope used for serious tasks like hanging or mooring. *Cuerda* is a more general term and can refer to thinner cords or strings as well.