Inklingo

How to Say "quotation" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cita

/SEE-tah//ˈsita/

NounB1General
Use 'cita' when you are referring to words directly taken from a written or spoken source, such as in an essay, a book, or a speech.
A simple illustration of a large open book resting on a stand, with an empty speech bubble floating directly above the pages, symbolizing a quotation.

Examples

El autor utilizó una famosa cita de Cervantes para iniciar su novela.

The author used a famous quotation from Cervantes to begin his novel.

El profesor nos pidió que incluyéramos tres citas en nuestro ensayo.

The professor asked us to include three quotations in our essay.

Esta cita de Cervantes es muy famosa: 'No hay rosas sin espinas'.

This quote from Cervantes is very famous: 'No roses without thorns.'

Debes poner entre comillas las citas textuales.

You must put direct quotes in quotation marks.

Cita is the noun, citar is the verb

'Cita' = the quote itself. 'Citar' = the action of quoting. Example: 'Esta es una cita' vs 'Voy a citar al autor'.

Forgetting quotation marks

Mistake: “Writing a quote without 'comillas' (quotation marks).”

Correction: Always use quotation marks for direct quotes: “Así se escribe una 'cita textual'.”

presupuesto

preh-soo-PWEHS-toh/pɾe.suˈpwes.to/

NounB1Formal
Use 'presupuesto' when referring to a formal, often written, estimate of costs, especially for a project, a government's financial plan, or a company's expected expenses.
Three stacks of coins of different sizes next to three distinct colored piggy banks, illustrating the concept of allocating funds.

Examples

Necesitamos presentar un presupuesto detallado para la construcción antes del viernes.

We need to present a detailed budget for the construction by Friday.

El gobierno aprobó el nuevo presupuesto nacional.

The government approved the new national budget.

Tenemos que ajustarnos al presupuesto si queremos ahorrar.

We have to stick to the budget if we want to save.

Pedimos un presupuesto al carpintero antes de empezar la obra.

We asked the carpenter for an estimate before starting the work.

Always Masculine

Even though it ends in '-o', 'presupuesto' is always masculine. Remember to use 'el' or 'un' before it.

Confusing Noun and Verb

Mistake: “Using the noun 'presupuesto' where the verb 'presuponer' is needed (e.g., *Yo presupuesto que...*).”

Correction: Use the verb 'presuponer' (to assume) or 'creer' (to believe) instead. The noun is only for financial plans or estimates.

estimado

es-tee-MAH-doh/es.tiˈma.ðo/

NounB2Formal
Use 'estimado' specifically for a formal price proposal or cost estimate given by a service provider or contractor for a specific job.
A simple wooden abacus sitting next to a neat stack of gold coins.

Examples

Pedimos tres estimados diferentes antes de decidir qué empresa contratar.

We asked for three different estimates before deciding which company to hire.

El contratista nos envió un estimado detallado para la obra.

The contractor sent us a detailed estimate for the work.

Basado en nuestro estimado, el proyecto costará 5000 dólares.

Based on our estimate, the project will cost 5,000 dollars.

Shortened Noun

In this context, 'estimado' is a shorter way of saying 'el precio estimado' (the estimated price) or 'el cálculo estimado' (the estimated calculation), making it a masculine noun.

Cita vs. Presupuesto/Estimado

The most common mistake is using 'cita' when you actually mean a price or cost estimate. Remember, 'cita' refers to words from a text or speech, while 'presupuesto' and 'estimado' deal with money and costs.

Related Translations

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