How to Say "stroke" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “stroke” is “golpe” — use 'golpe' when referring to a sudden, often impactful event, like a blow, shock, or a lucky break..
golpe
/GOHL-peh//ˈɡolpe/
Examples
La lotería fue un golpe de suerte inesperado.
The lottery was an unexpected stroke of luck.
La crisis económica fue un golpe duro para muchas empresas.
The economic crisis was a hard blow/shock for many companies.
¡Qué golpe de suerte! Encontré el anillo perdido.
What a stroke of luck! I found the lost ring.
Ella se fue de golpe, sin despedirse.
She left suddenly, without saying goodbye.
Adverbial Use
The phrase 'de golpe' acts like an adverb, describing how something happens, usually meaning 'very quickly' or 'unexpectedly'.
estilo
es-TEE-loh/esˈtilo/
Examples
Mi estilo de natación favorito es la braza.
My favorite swimming stroke is the breaststroke.
El nadador ganó la carrera en el estilo mariposa.
The swimmer won the race using the butterfly stroke (style).
El músico tocaba el piano con gran estilo y pasión.
The musician played the piano with great flair and passion.
Describing Action
When 'estilo' refers to flair or elegance, you often use the word 'con' (with) before it to describe how an action is performed, like 'cantar con estilo' (to sing with style).
pasada
pah-SAH-dah/paˈsaða/
Examples
Necesito dar otra pasada al techo para cubrir las manchas.
I need to give the ceiling another stroke of the brush to cover the stains.
Esta pared necesita una segunda pasada de pintura blanca.
This wall needs a second coat of white paint.
Con una pasada de la plancha, la camisa quedó perfecta.
With one stroke of the iron, the shirt was perfect.
Counting Layers
When talking about layers, use ordinal numbers (primera, segunda) or cardinal numbers (una, dos, tres) before 'pasada': 'la tercera pasada de barniz' (the third coat of varnish).
Confusing 'golpe' with 'estilo'
Related Translations
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