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señal

sen-YAL/seˈɲal/

sign, signal

Also: indication, marker
NounfA2
A clear red triangular yield sign on a pole against a blue sky, representing a physical indicator.

📝 In Action

Sigue las señales para llegar al centro.

A2

Follow the signs to get to the center.

No tengo buena señal aquí, la llamada se corta.

A2

I don't have a good signal here, the call is cutting out.

La fiebre es una señal de que estás enfermo.

B1

A fever is a sign that you are sick.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • indicación (indication)
  • aviso (notice, warning)
  • letrero (sign (like a poster or billboard))

Common Collocations

  • señal de tráfico – traffic sign
  • señal de stop – stop sign
  • señal de humo – smoke signal
  • perder la señal – to lose the signal

signal, cue

Also: gesture
NounfB1
A person making a clear 'come here' beckoning gesture with their hand.

📝 In Action

El director de orquesta dio la señal para empezar.

B1

The conductor gave the signal to begin.

Me hizo una señal con la mano para que me acercara.

B1

He made a signal with his hand for me to come closer.

Cuando te dé la señal, enciende las luces.

B2

When I give you the cue, turn on the lights.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • hacer una señal – to make a signal/gesture
  • dar la señal – to give the signal/cue
  • en señal de – as a sign of

down payment, deposit

Also: advance
NounfB2formal
Latin America
Two hands exchanging a small pile of gold coins across a counter, representing a deposit.

📝 In Action

Para reservar el coche, tienes que dejar una señal de 200 euros.

B2

To reserve the car, you have to leave a deposit of 200 euros.

Dimos una señal al propietario para asegurar el alquiler del piso.

B2

We gave the owner a down payment to secure the rental of the apartment.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • anticipo (advance payment)
  • depósito (deposit)
  • paga y señal (down payment (common phrase))

Common Collocations

  • dar una señal – to give a deposit/down payment
  • dejar una señal – to leave a deposit

mark, trace

Also: scar
NounfB2
A visible, circular water ring stain left on a plain wooden table surface.

📝 In Action

La cicatriz en su brazo es una señal de su operación.

B2

The scar on his arm is a mark from his surgery.

El vaso dejó una señal en la mesa de madera.

B1

The glass left a mark on the wooden table.

Las ruinas son una señal de una antigua civilización.

C1

The ruins are a trace of an ancient civilization.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • dejar una señal – to leave a mark

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "señal" in Spanish:

cue→signal→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: señal

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'señal' to mean a down payment or deposit?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
señalar(to point out, to signal) — Verb
señalización(signage, signs) — Noun
señalado(marked, indicated) — Adjective
señalamiento(signaling, pointing out) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'signāle', which meant 'a sign' or 'something that serves as a sign'. It's a close relative of the English word 'signal'!

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: sinalCatalan: senyalItalian: segnaleFrench: signal

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'señal' and 'signo'?

Great question! Think of 'señal' as a practical, physical sign that gives you information (like a traffic sign, a TV signal, or a gesture). 'Signo' is more abstract or symbolic, like a zodiac sign ('signo del zodiaco'), a plus sign ('signo de más'), or a symbol in writing.

Is 'señal' always feminine?

Yes, it is! Even though it ends in '-l', it's one of those words you just have to remember is feminine. So it's always 'la señal' or 'una señal'.