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pista

PEES-tah/ˈpis.ta/

clue, hint

Also: lead, trail
NounfA2
A magnifying glass hovering over a distinct, muddy footprint on a wooden floor, representing a clue.

📝 In Action

No sé la respuesta, ¿puedes darme una pista?

A2

I don't know the answer, can you give me a hint?

La policía no tiene pistas sobre el robo.

B1

The police have no leads on the robbery.

Seguimos la pista de las huellas en la nieve.

B2

We followed the trail of the footprints in the snow.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • indicio (indication, sign)
  • señal (sign, signal)

Common Collocations

  • dar una pista – to give a hint
  • seguir la pista – to follow the trail/track
  • perder la pista – to lose the trail/track

Idioms & Expressions

  • estar sobre la pista – to be on the right track to discovering something

track, court, rink

Also: slope, ring
NounfB1
A vibrant red athletic running track with white lane lines curving around a grassy center field.

📝 In Action

Los coches de carreras van muy rápido en la pista.

B1

The race cars go very fast on the track.

Tenemos reservada la pista de tenis a las cinco.

B1

We have the tennis court reserved at five.

Me encanta patinar en la pista de hielo en invierno.

B1

I love skating at the ice rink in winter.

Es una pista de esquí solo para expertos.

B2

It's a ski slope for experts only.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • pista de atletismo – athletics track
  • pista de tenis – tennis court
  • pista de hielo – ice rink
  • pista de esquí – ski slope

dance floor

NounfB1
A square, glossy dance floor reflecting colorful spotlights of blue, pink, and yellow.

📝 In Action

¡Vamos a la pista a bailar!

B1

Let's go to the dance floor to dance!

La pista de baile estaba llena de gente.

B1

The dance floor was full of people.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pista de baile (dance floor)

Common Collocations

  • salir a la pista – to go out onto the dance floor
  • el rey de la pista – the king of the dance floor

runway

Also: landing strip
NounfB2
A long, gray concrete runway stretching into the distance, with a small commercial airplane taking off.

📝 In Action

El avión aterrizó suavemente en la pista.

B2

The plane landed smoothly on the runway.

Debido a la niebla, la pista de aterrizaje está cerrada.

C1

Due to the fog, the landing strip is closed.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • pista de aterrizaje – runway / landing strip
  • pista de despegue – takeoff runway

track

Also: soundtrack
NounfB2
A close-up view of a black vinyl record resting on a turntable, showing the distinct, spiral grooves that contain the music.

📝 In Action

Mi canción favorita es la pista 3 del nuevo álbum.

B2

My favorite song is track 3 on the new album.

El productor grabó varias pistas de guitarra para la canción.

C1

The producer recorded several guitar tracks for the song.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • canción (song)
  • tema (track, theme)

Common Collocations

  • pista de audio – audio track
  • pista extra – bonus track
  • pista sonora – soundtrack

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pista

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'pista' to mean a hint or clue?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
despistado/a(clueless, absent-minded) — Adjective
despistar(to mislead, to throw off track) — Verb
autopista(highway, motorway) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Italian word 'pista', which means 'track' or 'footprint'. This is related to the idea of a path made by treading or pounding the ground.

First recorded: 16th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: pistaFrench: pistePortuguese: pista

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Frequently Asked Questions

If 'pista' means 'track' for sports and also 'track' for music, how do I know which one is meant?

It's all about the context! If people are talking about sports, running, or racing, 'pista' is a physical track. If they are talking about an album, a CD, or a playlist, it means a song or audio track. Your brain will quickly learn to tell the difference based on the topic of conversation.

What's the difference between 'pista' and 'indicio'?

They are very similar when they mean 'clue'. 'Pista' is more common and can mean a direct hint or a trail to follow. 'Indicio' is a bit more formal, like 'indication' or 'piece of evidence', and often used in legal or very serious contexts. For everyday use, 'pista' is perfect.