How to Say "dash" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “dash” is “raya” — use 'raya' when referring to a short, simple line drawn or written, like a scratch or a basic mark..
English → Spanish
raya
/RRAH-yah//ˈra.ʝa/
nounA1general
Use 'raya' when referring to a short, simple line drawn or written, like a scratch or a basic mark.
Examples
Dibuja una raya horizontal en el cuaderno.
Draw a horizontal line in the notebook.
La cebra tiene rayas blancas y negras.
The zebra has white and black stripes.
No cruces la raya roja en el suelo.
Don't cross the red line on the floor.
Gender Reminder
Even though 'raya' ends in 'a', it is feminine, like most Spanish nouns ending in 'a'. Use 'la raya' or 'una raya'.
guión
nounA2general
Use 'guión' specifically for a punctuation mark (like a hyphen or em dash) used to connect words or indicate a range.
Examples
Olvidaste poner el guión entre 'cien' y 'mil'.
You forgot to put the hyphen between 'one hundred' and 'thousand'.
Raya vs. Guión
Learners often confuse 'raya' and 'guión' because both can represent a line. Remember that 'raya' is a general line, while 'guión' refers to specific punctuation marks like hyphens or dashes used in writing.
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