Inklingo

How to Say "block" in Spanish

English → Spanish

bloque

BLO-keh/ˈblo.ke/

nounA1general
Use 'bloque' when referring to a solid, heavy piece of material like concrete, wood, or ice.
A single, heavy gray concrete construction block resting on the ground.

Examples

Necesitamos un bloque de cemento para arreglar la pared.

We need a concrete block to fix the wall.

El escultor está trabajando en un bloque de mármol.

The sculptor is working on a block of marble.

Compré un bloque grande de queso para la fiesta.

I bought a large block of cheese for the party.

Always Masculine

Remember that 'bloque' is always masculine, so you must use 'el' (the) or 'un' (a/an) before it.

cuadra

KWAA-drah/ˈkwaðɾa/

nounA2general
Use 'cuadra' to talk about a city block, meaning the distance between two streets.
An aerial view of a typical urban area showing four buildings defining the perimeter of a square city block.

Examples

Mi casa está a solo dos cuadras del parque.

My house is only two blocks from the park.

¿Cuántas cuadras tenemos que caminar para llegar al museo?

How many blocks do we have to walk to get to the museum?

Using 'Cuadra' for Distance

When talking about distance, you usually use the preposition 'a' (at/to) followed by the number of blocks: 'Está a tres cuadras'.

Confusing 'Cuadra' and 'Manzana'

Mistake: “Using 'cuadra' in Spain when referring to the physical square of buildings.”

Correction: In Spain, 'manzana' refers to the physical block of buildings, while 'cuadra' is used mainly in Latin America for the distance.

pastilla

/pas-TEE-yah//pasˈtiʝa/

nounA2general
Use 'pastilla' for a small, concentrated mass of ingredients, like soap, medicine, or bouillon.
A rectangular bar of pink soap with small bubbles.

Examples

Compré una pastilla de jabón con olor a lavanda.

I bought a bar of soap with a lavender scent.

Añade una pastilla de caldo a la sopa.

Add a bouillon cube (stock block) to the soup.

parada

/pah-RAH-dah//paˈɾaða/

nounB2sports
Use 'parada' specifically in sports to mean a save or a stop made by a goalkeeper or player.
An illustration of a soccer goalkeeper making a dramatic horizontal dive to save a ball from entering the goal.

Examples

¡Qué parada espectacular! El portero salvó el partido.

What a spectacular save! The goalkeeper saved the match.

Fue una parada con los pies, muy arriesgada.

It was a save with his feet, very risky.

Block vs. Block

The most common confusion is between 'bloque' (a physical object) and 'cuadra' (a distance in a city). Remember, if you're talking about a solid thing, use 'bloque'; if you mean the space between streets, use 'cuadra'.

Related Translations

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