Inklingo

How to Say "to traverse" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cruzar

/kroo-SAHR//kɾuˈsaɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'cruzar' when talking about crossing a relatively small or common area, like a street, a room, or a border.
A stylized illustration of a person walking across a narrow wooden bridge spanning a blue river, moving from one side to the other.

Examples

Tienes que cruzar la calle para llegar a la tienda.

You have to cross the street to get to the store.

El equipo logró cruzar la meta en primer lugar.

The team managed to cross the finish line in first place.

Vamos a cruzar el puente porque es más rápido.

We are going to cross the bridge because it is faster.

The Z to C Spelling Change

Because Spanish doesn't allow 'ze' or 'zi', the 'z' in cruzar must change to a 'c' whenever it is followed by an 'e'. This happens in the 'yo' form of the past tense (crucé) and throughout the entire present subjunctive (cruce, crucemos, etc.).

Forgetting the Z/C Change

Mistake: “Yo cruzé la línea.”

Correction: Yo crucé la línea. (Remember Z changes to C before E.)

atravesar

/ah-trah-veh-SAHR//a.tɾa.βeˈsaɾ/

verbA2formal/literary
Choose 'atravesar' for a more formal or literary sense of crossing, often implying a more difficult or significant passage, like a forest, a desert, or a body of water.
A person stepping across a narrow river using stepping stones, moving from one side to the other.

Examples

Necesitamos atravesar el puente para llegar al otro lado.

We need to cross the bridge to get to the other side.

El tren atraviesa los campos de trigo muy rápido.

The train crosses the wheat fields very quickly.

Stem Change Rule

This verb is irregular because the 'e' in the middle changes to 'ie' whenever the stress falls on that syllable (in the 'boot' forms of the present tense).

Forgetting the Stem Change

Mistake: “Yo 'atraveso' (Incorrect form)”

Correction: Yo 'atravieso' (The 'e' must change to 'ie' in the first person singular).

recorrer

reh-koh-REHR/rekoˈrer/

verbA2formal/technical
Use 'recorrer' when the focus is on traveling over a large area, covering distance, or making a journey through a place.
A hiker walking along a winding path through a green forest.

Examples

Queremos recorrer toda Europa este verano.

We want to travel through all of Europe this summer.

Recorrieron la ciudad a pie buscando el museo.

They went all over the city on foot looking for the museum.

El sendero recorre la orilla del río.

The path goes along the river bank.

Using it without 'por'

Unlike 'caminar' (to walk) which often uses 'por' to say where you walk, 'recorrer' usually takes the place directly as its object. You 'recorrer la ciudad', not 'recorrer por la ciudad'.

Recorrer vs. Recordar

Mistake: “Using 'recorrer' when you mean 'to remember'.”

Correction: Use 'recordar' for memories. 'Recorrer' is about movement and distance.

Crossing vs. Traveling Through

The most common mistake is confusing 'cruzar' (to cross) with 'recorrer' (to travel through/over). 'Cruzar' implies getting from one side to another, while 'recorrer' emphasizes covering a large distance or area.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.