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pega

PEH-gahˈpe.ɣa

glue

Also: paste, adhesive
NounfA2
SpainChile
A simple, open bottle of white liquid adhesive glue, with a large drop hanging from the nozzle, ready to fall.

📝 In Action

Se me rompió la taza, ¿tienes un poco de pega?

A2

My mug broke, do you have some glue?

Esta pega es muy fuerte y seca rápido.

B1

This adhesive is very strong and dries quickly.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • pega rápida – quick-drying glue
  • echar pega – to apply glue

drawback

Also: hitch, snag
NounfB1informal
Spain
A small, simple character walking along a smooth path, encountering a single, large, immovable gray boulder completely blocking the way forward, illustrating a setback.

📝 In Action

La única pega de este trabajo es el horario nocturno.

B1

The only drawback of this job is the night schedule.

Si no fuera por esa pega, lo compraría ahora mismo.

B2

If it weren't for that hitch, I would buy it right now.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • poner una pega – to raise an objection

magpie

NounfB2
A stylized black and white magpie bird with iridescent blue-green tail feathers, sitting on a brown tree branch.

📝 In Action

La pega es conocida por ser muy inteligente y ruidosa.

B2

The magpie is known for being very intelligent and noisy.

Cuidado, a las pegas les gusta robar objetos brillantes.

C1

Be careful, magpies like to steal shiny objects.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • urraca (magpie (more common synonym))

he/she/it sticks, he/she/it hits

Also: stick! (formal), hit! (formal)
VerbA1regular (with spelling change in certain forms) ar
A bright red paper square firmly stuck to a flat, simple yellow wall, illustrating the act of adhering.
infinitivepegar
gerundpegando
past Participlepegado

📝 In Action

Mi hermano siempre pega chicles debajo de la mesa.

A1

My brother always sticks gum under the table.

El sol pega muy fuerte al mediodía.

A2

The sun hits very strongly at noon.

Siéntese y pega el sello a la carta, por favor (Usted).

A2

Sit down and stick the stamp on the letter, please (Formal You).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • pegar un grito – to shout/scream

Idioms & Expressions

  • pegar ojo – to get a wink of sleep (usually in the negative: no pegar ojo)

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedpega
yopego
túpegas
ellos/ellas/ustedespegan
nosotrospegamos
vosotrospegáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedpegaba
yopegaba
túpegabas
ellos/ellas/ustedespegaban
nosotrospegábamos
vosotrospegabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedpegó
yopegué
túpegaste
ellos/ellas/ustedespegaron
nosotrospegamos
vosotrospegasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedpegue
yopegue
túpegues
ellos/ellas/ustedespeguen
nosotrospeguemos
vosotrospeguéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedpegara/pegase
yopegara/pegase
túpegaras/pegases
ellos/ellas/ustedespegaran/pegasen
nosotrospegáramos/pegásemos
vosotrospegarais/pegaseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "pega" in Spanish:

adhesive→drawback→glue→hitch→magpie→paste→snag→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pega

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'pega' as a noun meaning 'drawback'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pegar(to stick, to hit) — Verb
pegamento(glue) — Noun
pegadizo(sticky, catchy) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'pega' (glue/drawback) is a back-formation from the verb 'pegar,' which came from Vulgar Latin *picāre*, meaning 'to pierce' or 'to fix,' linking the idea of sticking things together. The meaning 'drawback' likely evolved from the idea of something 'sticking' or getting in the way.

First recorded: 15th century (as the verb form)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: pegarCatalan: pegar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pega' the same as 'pegamento'?

'Pega' and 'pegamento' both mean 'glue' or 'adhesive.' 'Pegamento' is the standard word used everywhere, while 'pega' is a very common, slightly more informal synonym, especially in Spain and parts of the Caribbean.

Why does 'pega' sometimes mean 'drawback'?

This informal meaning, common in Spain, comes from the idea of something 'sticking' or 'catching' and getting in the way of a smooth process. It describes a small problem or difficulty that adheres to a situation.