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puente

PWEN-tay/ˈpwente/

bridge

Also: viaduct
NounmA1
A sturdy stone arch bridge spans over a calm blue river, connecting two green banks.

📝 In Action

El puente Golden Gate es famoso mundialmente.

A1

The Golden Gate Bridge is famous worldwide.

Tuvimos que cruzar el río por un puente de madera.

A2

We had to cross the river using a wooden bridge.

El coche se averió justo en medio del puente.

A1

The car broke down right in the middle of the bridge.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pasarela (footbridge)

Common Collocations

  • construir un puente – to build a bridge
  • el arco del puente – the arch of the bridge

long weekend

Also: extended holiday
NounmB1neutral/informal
Spain
A small, open suitcase filled with colorful clothes sits next to a picnic basket and a pair of sunglasses on a green lawn, suggesting an extended holiday break.

📝 In Action

Como el jueves es festivo, tenemos un puente de cuatro días.

B1

Since Thursday is a public holiday, we have a four-day long weekend.

Vamos a aprovechar el puente para visitar a mis abuelos.

B1

We are going to make the most of the long weekend to visit my grandparents.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • fin de semana largo (long weekend)

Common Collocations

  • aprovechar el puente – to make the most of the long weekend
  • hacer puente – to take the extra day off (to make the break longer)

dental bridge

Also: bridge, jumper cable/bypass
NounmC1technical/specialized
A close-up view of a three-unit dental bridge appliance, featuring two crowns connected by a false tooth.

📝 In Action

El luthier ajustó el puente de la guitarra para mejorar el sonido.

C1

The luthier adjusted the bridge of the guitar to improve the sound.

Necesité un puente porque me faltaban tres dientes.

B2

I needed a dental bridge because I was missing three teeth.

Tuvimos que hacer un puente en la batería del carro para encenderlo.

C1

We had to jump-start the car battery to turn it on.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • puente dental – dental bridge
  • hacer un puente (eléctrico) – to jump-start or bypass (an electrical circuit)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "puente" in Spanish:

dental bridge→extended holiday→long weekend→viaduct→

🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: puente

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'puente' to mean an extended holiday break?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
puentecito(small bridge) — Noun
puentear(to bypass/to connect) — Verb
puenteo(bypass (electrical)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word 'pons,' which meant 'bridge.' Its use to describe a long holiday break started because people would 'bridge' the gap between a mid-week holiday and the weekend by taking an extra day off.

First recorded: Old Spanish texts (c. 13th century)

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: ponteFrench: pontPortuguese: ponte

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'puente' masculine or feminine?

'Puente' is always a masculine noun, meaning you use 'el' or 'un' with it: 'El puente' (The bridge).

What is the cultural significance of 'hacer puente'?

It's a common practice in many Spanish-speaking countries to 'hacer puente' (literally, 'to make a bridge') by taking an extra day off work or school when a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, thus creating a four-day weekend.