paralelo
“paralelo” means “parallel” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
parallel
Also: similar, shadow / unofficial
📝 In Action
Dibuja dos líneas paralelas en el papel.
A1Draw two parallel lines on the paper.
Llevamos vidas paralelas pero nunca nos habíamos conocido.
B1We lead similar lives but we had never met before.
Muchos productos se venden en el mercado paralelo.
B2Many products are sold on the shadow market.
parallel
Also: comparison
📝 In Action
Ecuador está situado cerca del paralelo cero.
B1Ecuador is located near the equator (the zero parallel).
Es difícil establecer un paralelo entre estas dos situaciones.
B2It is difficult to draw a comparison between these two situations.
El avión cruzó el paralelo 40.
B1The plane crossed the 40th parallel.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: paralelo
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'parallel lines' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Greek 'parallelos', meaning 'beside each other'. It entered Spanish through the Latin 'parallelus'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'paralelo' ever used as a verb?
No, 'paralelo' is only an adjective or a noun. If you want to say 'to parallel something', you would use 'ser paralelo a' or 'asemejarse'.
When do I use 'paralela'?
Use 'paralela' whenever the noun you are describing is feminine, such as 'una calle paralela' (a parallel street) or 'una realidad paralela' (a parallel reality).
What is a 'mercado paralelo'?
It refers to an unofficial or 'black' market where goods or currencies are traded outside of government regulation.