Inklingo

How to Say "to trim" in Spanish

English → Spanish

recortar

/rreh-kohr-TAHR//rekorˈtar/

verbA1general
Use this word when shortening or tidying up the edges of things like hair, beards, plants, or even paper.
A child's hand using safety scissors to cut a red heart shape out of a piece of blue construction paper.

Examples

Voy a recortar el seto del jardín.

I am going to trim the garden hedge.

Los niños están recortando figuras de papel para el proyecto.

The children are cutting out paper figures for the project.

Necesito recortarme un poco la barba.

I need to trim my beard a little.

Recortó la foto para que cupiera en el marco.

He trimmed the photo so it would fit in the frame.

Cortar vs. Recortar

Use 'cortar' for a single cut or slice (like bread), but use 'recortar' when you are following a shape or just taking a little bit off the edges (like a trim).

Doing it to yourself

When you trim your own hair or nails, add 'se' to make it 'recortarse'. For example: 'Me recorto las uñas' (I trim my nails).

Cutting out shapes

Mistake: “Voy a cortar un círculo del papel.”

Correction: Voy a recortar un círculo del papel. 'Cortar' implies just making a cut; 'recortar' implies the act of cutting out a specific shape.

afeitar

/ah-fay-TAHR//afeiˈtaɾ/

verbA2general
This word specifically means to shave very close to the skin, typically used for facial hair or the body.
A man applying shaving cream to his face in front of a bathroom sink.

Examples

Necesito afeitarme la barba antes de la reunión.

I need to shave my beard before the meeting.

El barbero va a afeitar al cliente.

The barber is going to shave the customer.

Necesito una cuchilla nueva para afeitarme bien.

I need a new blade to shave myself well.

Afeitar a alguien requiere mucha precisión y cuidado.

Shaving someone requires a lot of precision and care.

Shaving yourself vs. Shaving others

Use 'afeitar' when you are shaving someone else (like a barber). If you are shaving yourself, you must add 'se' to the end (afeitarse) to show the action returns to you.

Using 'the' instead of 'my'

In Spanish, when shaving your own body parts, use 'the' (el/la) instead of 'my' (mi). For example: 'Me afeito la barba' (I shave the beard) instead of 'my beard'.

Forgotten reflexive pronoun

Mistake: “Yo afeito cada mañana.”

Correction: Me afeito cada mañana. Use 'me' because you are the one receiving the shave.

tranquilar

/tran-kee-LAHR//tɾaŋkiˈlaɾ/

verbC1specific
Use this word when evening out or shearing hair or fur, especially from animals like sheep.
A fluffy white sheep standing calmly while a pair of metal shears removes a thick layer of wool.

Examples

El granjero va a tranquilar a las ovejas en primavera.

The farmer is going to shear the sheep in spring.

Los pastores empezaron a tranquilar a las ovejas al amanecer.

The shepherds began to shear the sheep at dawn.

Es necesario tranquilar el pelaje del animal antes del verano.

It is necessary to trim the animal's coat before summer.

Antiguamente se usaban tijeras grandes para tranquilar.

In the old days, large shears were used to clip wool.

Using the 'Personal A'

Even though sheep are animals, if you treat them as specific individuals in a farming context, you might see 'tranquilar a las ovejas' (using 'a' as a marker for the object).

Regular Ending Pattern

This verb follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -ar, like 'hablar' or 'cantar,' making it easy to conjugate if you know the basics.

Tranquilar vs. Tranquilizar

Mistake: “Using 'tranquilar' to mean 'to calm someone down.'”

Correction: Use 'tranquilizar' for emotions. 'Tranquilar' is almost exclusively for cutting wool or hair in modern Spanish.

Recortar vs. Afeitar

Learners often confuse 'recortar' and 'afeitar'. Remember that 'recortar' is for tidying up or shortening edges, while 'afeitar' means to shave very close to the skin, usually for facial hair.

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