tallo
“tallo” means “stem” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
stem, stalk
Also: trunk
📝 In Action
La flor tiene un tallo muy largo.
A1The flower has a very long stem.
Corta los tallos de las rosas antes de ponerlas en el agua.
A2Cut the rose stems before putting them in the water.
El tallo del apio es crujiente y delicioso.
B1The celery stalk is crunchy and delicious.
I carve, I measure
Also: I shape
📝 In Action
Yo tallo figuras de madera en mi tiempo libre.
B1I carve wooden figures in my free time.
Cada mañana, yo tallo a los niños para ver cuánto han crecido.
B2Every morning, I measure the children to see how much they have grown.
Yo tallo el diamante con mucha precisión.
C1I cut/shape the diamond with great precision.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tallo
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence refers to a plant part?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'thallus', which came from Greek 'thallos', meaning a green sprout or young branch.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'tallo' the same as 'tronco'?
Not exactly. 'Tronco' is used for thick tree trunks, while 'tallo' is for the stems of flowers, herbs, and smaller plants.
Can 'tallo' mean my height?
As a noun, no. But the verb 'tallar' is used to describe the act of measuring height. If a doctor says 'Te voy a tallar,' they are going to measure how tall you are.
Why does my recipe say 'tallo de apio'?
In cooking, 'tallo' is the standard way to say 'a stalk' of something, like celery.