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pedazo

peh-DAH-thoh (Spain) / peh-DAH-soh (Latin America)/peˈðaθo/

piece, fragment

Also: bit, chunk
NounmA1
A large, circular brown cookie lying on a surface, with one small, jagged piece cleanly broken off and resting beside the main cookie.

📝 In Action

Necesito un pedazo de papel para escribir una nota.

A1

I need a piece of paper to write a note.

El jarrón se cayó y se rompió en mil pedazos.

A2

The vase fell and broke into a thousand pieces.

Guárdame un pedazo de pizza, por favor.

A1

Save me a slice of pizza, please.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • trozo (piece, chunk)
  • parte (part)
  • porción (portion)

Common Collocations

  • pedazo de pan – piece of bread
  • hacer pedazos – to smash/break into pieces

a long way, a good distance

Also: quite a stretch, a while
NounmB1informal
A long, winding dirt path stretching across green hills toward a distant, small mountain range under a bright blue sky.

📝 In Action

La gasolinera queda a un buen pedazo de aquí, mejor llenamos el tanque.

B1

The gas station is a long way from here, we should fill the tank.

Estuvimos esperando un pedazo hasta que llegó el autobús.

B2

We were waiting for quite a while until the bus arrived.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • trecho (stretch, distance)
  • rato (a while (time))

Common Collocations

  • un buen pedazo – a good distance/long way
  • a un pedazo de – far from

amazing, complete

Also: superb, total
NounmC1informal
An extremely tall, elaborately decorated layer cake covered in vibrant frosting, edible gold accents, and sparkling decorations, emphasizing its magnificence.

📝 In Action

¡Qué pedazo de concierto! Fue la mejor noche de mi vida.

C1

What an amazing concert! It was the best night of my life.

Es un pedazo de mentiroso, nunca le creas nada.

C2

He is a complete liar, never believe him.

Su nuevo teléfono es un pedazo de máquina.

C1

His new phone is an absolute machine (a great piece of technology).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • pedazo de artista – great artist
  • pedazo de idiota – total idiot

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser un pedazo de pan – to be a very kind, gentle person

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pedazo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'pedazo' to express distance?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pedacito(little piece (diminutive)) — Noun
despedazar(to tear into pieces) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'pedazo' comes from the Vulgar Latin term *pittacium*, which originally referred to a small piece of cloth, a patch, or a scrap. Over time, it broadened to mean a fragment or portion of anything.

First recorded: Around the 13th century in written Spanish.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: pedaçoItalian: pezzoFrench: pièce

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pedazo' always positive when used as an intensifier?

No. While it can mean 'amazing' (¡Qué pedazo de casa!), it is often used with negative words to mean 'complete' or 'total' (Es un pedazo de estúpido). The context of the noun determines the meaning.

What is the difference between 'pedazo' and 'trozo'?

They are often interchangeable, both meaning 'piece' or 'chunk.' 'Trozo' often implies a slightly larger or rougher piece, while 'pedazo' can refer to anything from a small scrap (pedacito) to a large portion.