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raya

RRAH-yah/ˈra.ʝa/

line, stripe

Also: dash, streak
NounfA1
A thick, straight red line drawn horizontally across a plain white surface.

📝 In Action

Dibuja una raya horizontal en el cuaderno.

A1

Draw a horizontal line in the notebook.

La cebra tiene rayas blancas y negras.

A2

The zebra has white and black stripes.

No cruces la raya roja en el suelo.

A1

Don't cross the red line on the floor.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • línea (line (more geometric))
  • franja (strip, band)

Common Collocations

  • raya de meta – finish line
  • raya continua – solid line (traffic)

Idioms & Expressions

  • Pasarse de la raya – To cross the line; to go too far (in behavior)

part

Also: parting
NounfA2
The top view of a person's head showing neatly combed brown hair with a clear, straight parting line down the center.

📝 In Action

Ella siempre lleva la raya en el medio.

A2

She always wears her part in the middle.

Me gusta la raya lateral en tu pelo.

B1

I like the side part in your hair.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • partición (parting (less common))

Common Collocations

  • raya al lado – side part
  • raya en medio – middle part

skate

Also: ray
NounfB1neutral/culinary
A flat, kite-shaped brown and white skate fish swimming above the sandy ocean floor.

📝 In Action

El plato de hoy es ala de raya a la mantequilla.

B1

Today's dish is buttered skate wing.

Vimos una raya enorme nadando cerca de la costa.

B2

We saw a huge ray swimming near the coast.

scratches, marks

Also: grates
VerbA2regular ar
A simplified cartoon hand holding a sharp object, actively dragging it across a flat green chalkboard, leaving a visible white scratch mark.
infinitiverayar
gerundrayando
past Participlerayado

📝 In Action

El lápiz raya la pared accidentalmente.

A2

The pencil scratches the wall accidentally.

Si el carro raya la pintura, será caro.

B1

If the car scratches the paint, it will be expensive.

¡Raya la zanahoria!

A2

Grate the carrot! (Tú command)

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • rascar (to scratch (often itch))
  • marcar (to mark)

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedraya
yorayo
túrayas
ellos/ellas/ustedesrayan
nosotrosrayamos
vosotrosrayáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedrayaba
yorayaba
túrayabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesrayaban
nosotrosrayábamos
vosotrosrayabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedrayó
yorayé
túrayaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesrayaron
nosotrosrayamos
vosotrosrayasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedraye
yoraye
túrayes
ellos/ellas/ustedesrayen
nosotrosrayemos
vosotrosrayéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedrayara
yorayara
túrayaras
ellos/ellas/ustedesrayaran
nosotrosrayáramos
vosotrosrayarais
View All Tenses & Moods →

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✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: raya

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'raya' to mean 'a boundary or limit'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
rayar(to scratch, to mark) — Verb
rayado(striped, scratched (adjective)) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the Latin *radiare*, meaning 'to radiate' or 'to emit rays,' which evolved in Spanish to mean drawing a line or mark. The fish (skate/ray) is named for its flat, disc-like shape, which resembles a broad line.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: raiaCatalan: ratlla

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'raya' means 'line' or 'the verb form of 'to scratch'?

Look at the words around it. If it follows an article (la/una) or an adjective (roja/amarilla), it's the noun 'line.' If it follows a subject pronoun (él/ella) or is used as a command, it's the verb form 'scratches/grates'.

Is 'raya' used for all types of lines?

'Raya' is great for visual lines, stripes, or marks. For lines of text or queues of people, 'línea' or 'cola' are usually better choices.