Inklingo

How to Say "streak" in Spanish

English → Spanish

racha

/rah-chah//ˈrat͡ʃa/

nounA2General
Use 'racha' when talking about a continuous period of success or failure, like a winning streak in sports or a losing streak in gambling.
A line of five identical golden trophies standing in a row on a wooden shelf.

Examples

El equipo lleva una racha de cinco victorias seguidas.

The team is on a five-game winning streak.

Estoy pasando por una mala racha en el trabajo.

I'm going through a rough patch at work.

¡Qué buena racha tienes!

What a lucky streak you're having!

Always Feminine

Even though it ends in 'a', just remember it always uses feminine words like 'la' or 'una'. Use 'buena' or 'mala' to describe it.

Using 'racha' for long eras

Mistake: “Using 'racha' for a 10-year period.”

Correction: Use 'racha' for shorter, temporary bursts of luck or behavior. For long historical periods, use 'época'.

raya

/RRAH-yah//ˈra.ʝa/

nounA1General
Use 'raya' to describe a literal line or mark on a surface, such as a line drawn on paper or a stripe on clothing.
A thick, straight red line drawn horizontally across a plain white surface.

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'.

vena

nounB2Informal
Use 'vena' to refer to a temporary mood, inclination, or tendency, often used humorously, like being in a 'funny mood' or a 'creative streak'.

Examples

Parece que hoy estás con la vena cómica.

It seems you're in a comedic mood (or 'on a funny streak') today.

Confusing 'racha' and 'raya'

The most common mistake is confusing 'racha' (a period of events) with 'raya' (a physical line). Remember that 'racha' deals with time and repetition, while 'raya' refers to a visual mark or line.

Related Translations

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