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How to Say "cutting" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cortando

kor-TAHN-dohkoɾˈtando

verbA1general
Use 'cortando' when you are actively performing the action of dividing, slicing, or chopping something with a sharp object like a knife or scissors.
A pair of silver scissors slicing through a piece of bright red paper in a straight line.

Examples

Estoy cortando las verduras para la cena.

I am cutting the vegetables for dinner.

Él está cortando el césped ahora mismo.

He is mowing the lawn right now.

Using 'ando' for ongoing actions

In Spanish, adding 'ando' to verbs ending in 'ar' is like adding '-ing' in English. It shows that the action is happening right now when paired with the verb 'estar'.

Forgetting the helper verb

Mistake: “Yo cortando el papel.”

Correction: Yo estoy cortando el papel. You almost always need the verb 'estar' (to be) before 'cortando' to make a complete sentence.

estaca

es-TAH-kahesˈtaka

nounB2horticultural
Use 'estaca' when referring to a piece of a plant, like a stem or root, that has been cut off and is intended to be planted to grow a new plant.
A small plant cutting with a few leaves sitting in a pot of soil.

Examples

Puedes reproducir este rosal plantando una estaca del tallo principal.

You can reproduce this rose bush by planting a cutting from the main stem.

El agricultor preparó las estacas para el injerto de primavera.

The farmer prepared the cuttings for the spring graft.

Es importante que la estaca tenga al menos tres nudos.

It is important that the cutting has at least three nodes.

Collective use

In agriculture, 'estaca' refers to the specific branch you cut to grow a new plant.

Confusion with 'esqueje'

Mistake: “Using 'estaca' only for wood.”

Correction: While 'esqueje' is the most technical term for a cutting, 'estaca' is specifically used for woody or semi-woody stems.

Action vs. Plant Part

Learners often confuse these by using 'cortando' when they mean a plant cutting. Remember, 'cortando' describes the *action* of cutting, while 'estaca' is the *noun* for a plant cutting used for propagation.

Related Translations

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