Inklingo

How to Say "sections" in Spanish

English → Spanish

partes

/PAR-tess//ˈpaɾ.tes/

NounA1General
Use 'partes' when referring to general divisions or components of something, such as sections of a book, areas of a city, or individual pieces of a machine.
Four brightly colored, distinct geometric puzzle pieces lying scattered on a wooden surface, representing components of a whole.

Examples

El libro está dividido en tres partes.

The book is divided into three sections.

El coche necesita partes nuevas.

The car needs new parts.

Me gustan todas las partes de la película.

I like all the parts of the movie.

Ambas partes están de acuerdo con los términos.

Both sides agree with the terms.

Always Feminine

'Partes' comes from the word 'la parte', which is a feminine noun. So, even though it ends in '-es', you should use feminine words like 'las' or 'unas' with it: 'las partes', not 'los partes'.

Party vs. Parts

Mistake: “Voy a dos partes este fin de semana.”

Correction: Voy a dos fiestas este fin de semana. 'Partes' means pieces or sides. For a celebration, always use 'fiesta'.

brazos

BRAH-sohs/ˈbɾasos/

NounB2General
Use 'brazos' specifically for branching divisions, like arms of a river delta, branches of a company, or sections of a complex system that extend outwards.
A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration depicting a wide blue river that splits into two smaller, distinct flowing branches.

Examples

El río se divide en varios brazos antes de llegar al mar.

The river divides into several sections before reaching the sea.

El delta del río se divide en varios brazos antes de llegar al mar.

The river delta divides into several branches before reaching the sea.

Tuvimos que reemplazar los brazos de la grúa hidráulica.

We had to replace the support arms of the hydraulic crane.

cortes

kor-tes/ˈkoɾtes/

NounA2General
Use 'cortes' to refer to divisions made by cutting, such as cuts on a surface, sections of fabric removed by cutting, or even superficial wounds.
A close-up illustration of a hand showing a small, clean red cut on a finger, suggesting a physical wound.

Examples

Los cortes en la tela eran muy precisos.

The sections in the fabric were very precise.

Los cortes en su brazo eran superficiales.

The cuts on his arm were superficial.

Tuvimos varios cortes de electricidad durante la tormenta.

We had several power cuts during the storm.

Me gusta el corte de pelo que tienes.

I like the haircut (literally, 'cut of hair') you have.

Gender Trap

Even though the singular noun el corte ends in -e, it is masculine, meaning its plural form los cortes is also masculine. Always use 'los' with this meaning.

Parts vs. Arms vs. Cuts

Learners often confuse 'partes' and 'brazos'. Remember that 'partes' is for general divisions or components, while 'brazos' implies a branching or extending shape, like arms of a river. 'Cortes' is generally used for divisions made by cutting.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.