Inklingo

How to Say "spread" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word forspreadis corrióuse 'corrió' when referring to the rapid movement or circulation of intangible things like rumors, news, or even fire across an area..

English → Spanish

corrió

verbB1general
Use 'corrió' when referring to the rapid movement or circulation of intangible things like rumors, news, or even fire across an area.

Examples

El rumor corrió como la pólvora por toda la ciudad.

The rumor spread like wildfire throughout the entire city.

pegó

verbB1general
Use 'pegó' (preterite tense) when talking about an illness or an idea that transmitted or caught on quickly among a group of people.

Examples

La gripe se pegó muy rápido en la oficina este invierno.

The flu spread very quickly in the office this winter.

distribución

nounB2general
Use 'distribución' to describe the way elements are arranged or scattered across a space, often referring to physical layouts or arrangements.

Examples

La distribución de los muebles en la sala es muy funcional.

The distribution of the furniture in the living room is very functional.

margen

MAHR-hen/ˈmaɾxen/

nounC1financial
Use 'margen' specifically in a financial context to mean the difference between the cost of something and the price it is sold for, often referred to as profit margin.
Two stacks of colorful blocks. The first stack representing 'cost' is shorter. The second stack representing 'price' is taller, with the topmost section of the taller stack highlighted in a different color to represent the profit margin.

Examples

El banco quiere mejorar su margen de interés en los préstamos.

The bank wants to improve its interest margin on loans.

La compañía debe aumentar su margen de beneficio para ser sostenible.

The company must increase its profit margin to be sustainable.

El margen bruto de la venta fue del 15%.

The gross margin on the sale was 15%.

Confusing Abstract Spread vs. Physical Layout

Learners often confuse 'corrió'/'pegó' (for news, illness, ideas spreading) with 'distribución' (for the arrangement of things). Remember that 'corrió' and 'pegó' imply movement or transmission, while 'distribución' refers to a static arrangement or layout.

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