Dictionary of Spoken Spanish/Part 1/B

by the United States War Department

B

• babucha slipper.
• bacalao codfish.
• bachiller [m] graduate, holder of a bachelor's degree (person possessing a Spanish degree equivalent in the U.S. to a high-school diploma plus two years of college).
• bagazo pulp [Am].
• bahía bay (arm of sea).
• bailar to dance.
• bailarín [m] dancer.
• bailarina [f] dancer.
• baile [m] dance, ball.
• baja (military) casualty El enemigo sufrió muchas bajas. The enemy suffered many casualties. ^▲ fall (in price) Hubo una baja en todos los precios. There was a general fall in prices.
  ○ dar de baja to drop out (from a list of members or subscribers) Se dio de baja del club. He dropped out of the club.—Por falta de pago, lo dieron de baja de la lista de subscriptores. For lack of payment they dropped him from the subscription list.
• bajada descent, slope.
• bajamar [f] low tide.
• bajar to go down, descend Bajemos la escalera despacio. Let's go down the stairs slowly. ^▲ to fall, drop La temperatura bajó. The temperature fell. ^▲ to lower; to bring down Baje Ud. la maleta de mi cuarto. Bring the suitcase down from my room. ^▲ to take down ¿Quiere ayudarme a bajar las maletas de la red? Will you help me take the suitcases down from the rack?
  ○ bajarse to get down, get off Nos vieron al bajarse del tren. They saw us as they were getting off the train. ^▲ to bend over Se bajó para atarse un zapato. He bent over to tie his shoe.
• bajo low Quiero una mesa baja. I want a low table. ^▲ short Es más bajo que su hermano. He's shorter than his brother. ^▲ low, soft Hablaban en voz baja. They were speaking in a low voice. ^▲ bass (voice, instrument) Vamos a colocar los bajos a la izquierda. Let's put the basses on the left. ^▲ below La temperatura ha llegado a bajo

cero. The temperature's fallen below zero. ^▲ street floor, ground floor El portero vive en el bajo. The superintendent lives on the ground floor.

• bala bullet, ball.
• balance [m] balance; balance sheet ¿Cuál es mi balance de este mes en el banco? What's my bank balance this month?
• balancearse to sway, rock, swing No se balancee en la silla; se va a romper. Don't rock in the chair; it's going to break.
• balanceo [m] rocking, wobbling.
• balanza scales, balance.
• balazo shot Se oyeron tres balazos. Three shots were heard. ^▲ bullet wound Tenía tres balazos en el pecho. He had three bullet wounds in his chest.
• balcón [m] balcony.
• balde [m] bucket, pail Este balde se sale. This bucket leaks.
  ○ de balde gratis, free Dan boletos de balde. They're giving tickets free. ○ en balde in vain, without success Trató en balde de hablar con ella por teléfono. He tried to get her on the phone without success.
• balear to wound by gunshot [Am] Lo balearon ayer. They shot him yesterday.
• balneario bathing resort.
• balón [m] football.
• banana banana.
• banco bank ¿Puedo cobrar mi cheque en este banco? Can I cash my check in this bank? ^▲ bench Todos los bancos están ocupados. All the benches are taken.
• banda sash, band (wide strip of material) La falda tenía tres bandas rojas. The skirt had three red bands.—Llevaba una banda roja cruzada al pecho. He wore a red sash across his chest. ^▲ band (music) Esa banda (de música) me da dolor de cabeza. That band gives me a headache. ^▲ gang Una banda de ladrones actúa por esta región. A gang of thieves works these parts.
• bandeja tray.
• bandera flag.
• bandido bandit.
• banquero banker.
• banqueta sidewalk [Mex]; stool.
• bañar to bathe Haga el favor de bañar a los niños. Please bathe the children.
  ○ bañarse to take a bath Voy a bañarme. I'm going to take a bath.
• bañera bathtub.
• bañero lifeguard.
• baño bath; bathroom; bathtub.
• baraja deck of cards.
• barajar to shuffle (cards).
• baranda banister.
• barata cockroach [Ch, Peru].
• barato cheap, inexpensive Es muy bonito y además barato. It's very pretty and besides it's cheap. ^▲ cheaply, cheap En este almacén venden muy barato. They sell things very cheap in this store. ^▲ [m] sale Hoy hay un barato en ese almacén. There's a sale today in that department store.
• barba beard; chin.
• barbaridad [f] any excess in speech or action Come una barbaridad. He eats too much.—No diga Ud. barbaridades. Don't talk nonsense.—Lo que hizo fué una barbaridad. What he did was an outrage.—Me gusta una barbaridad. I like her an awful lot.
• bárbaro crude Es un hombre bárbaro. He's a crude man.
• barbería barbershop.
• barbero barber.
• barca (small) boat.
• barco boat, ship ¿Cuántas veces ha hecho Ud. el viaje por barco? How many times have you made the trip by boat?
• barniz [m] varnish.
• barnizar to varnish.
• barquinazo tumble, fall [Am].
• barra bar, rod Necesitamos una barra de hierro. We need an iron bar. ^▲ public, spectators [Am] La barra animaba a los jugadores. The spectators cheered the players on.
• barranco gorge, ravine.
• barrer to sweep.
• barril [m] barrel, cask.
• barrio quarter, section, district.
• barro mud; pimple.
• base [f] basis; base.
• ¡basta! (See bastar) enough! stop! ¡Basta ya! He dicho que te calles. That's enough! I told you to shut up!
• bastante enough, sufficient ¿Tiene Ud. bastante dinero? Do you have enough money? ^▲ enough, rather Es una mujer bastante bonita. She's a rather pretty woman.
• bastar to be enough No bastó la comida para todos. There wasn't enough food for all.
• bastidores [m pl] ○ entre bastidores behind the scenes, backstage.
• basto coarse, rough El traje está hecho de material muy basto. The suit's made of very rough material.
• bastón [m] cane, walking stick.
• basura garbage, refuse.
• bata robe, bathrobe; house coat.
• batalla battle.
• batata sweet potato.
• bate [m] baseball bat [Am].
• batería battery.
• batir to beat Haga el favor de batir los huevos. Please beat the eggs. ^▲ to defeat Batió a su enemigo. He defeated his enemy.
  ○ batirse to fight; to fight a duel.
• baúl [m] trunk No han deschecho todavía los baúles. They haven't unpacked their trunks yet.
• bautismo baptism.
• bautizar to baptize.
• bebé [m] baby.
• beber to drink ¿Qué van a beber Uds.? What are you going to drink?
• bebida drink, beverage.
• becerro calf; calfskin.
• béisbol [m] baseball (game) [Am].
• beisbolista [m] baseball player [Am].
• belleza beauty.
• bello beautiful.
• bendecir [irr] to bless ¡Qué Dios le bendiga! God bless you!
• bendición [f] blessing.
• bendito (see bendecir) blessed, holy.
• beneficencia public charity; department of welfare.
• beneficio favor No agradece los beneficios. He doesn't appreciate favors. ^▲ profit Los beneficios fueron muy altos. The profits were very high.
• benevolencia kindness, good will.
• berenjena eggplant.
• besar to kiss.
• beso kiss.
• bestia beast.
• betabel [f] beet [Mex].
• Biblia Bible.
• biblioteca library.
• bicarbonato bicarbonate of soda.
• bicha snake.
• bicicleta bicycle, bike.
• bien [m] good No distingue el bien del mal. He doesn't know the difference between good and evil. ^▲ [adv] well Habló muy bien. He spoke very well. ^▲ very La cerveza está bien fría. The beer's very cold.
  ○ ahora bien now then. ○ bienes [m pl] property, estate Tiene muchos bienes. He has a great deal of property. ○ más bien que rather Es más bien rico que pobre. He's rich rather than poor.
  || Está bien. All right or Correct.
  || Fíjese bien en lo que le digo. Pay close attention to what I tell you.
• bienestar [m] well-being, comfort.
• bienvenido [adj] welcome ¡Bienvenido a mi casa! Welcome to my house!
• biftec [m] see bistec.
• bigote [m] mustache.
• billar [m] billiards, pool.
• billete [m] ticket ¿Ha comprado Ud. los billetes? Have you bought the tickets?
  ○ billete (de banco) bill Déme el dinero en billetes de a cinco y de a diez. Give me the money in fives and tens. ○ billete de ida y vuelta roundtrip ticket.
• biombo screen Hay que poner un biombo delante de la puerta. You have to put a screen in front of the door.
• bisabuela great-grandmother.
• bisabuelo great-grandfather.
• bistec, biftec [m] beefsteak.
• bizco cross-eyed.
• bizcocho sponge cake.
• blanco white ¡Ojalá hubiera comprado un traje blanco! I wish I'd bought a white dress! ^▲ [m] white (person) En esta ciudad hay blancos, indios y negros. There are white people, Indians, and Negroes in this city. ^▲ [m] target Dieron en él blanco. They hit the target.
  ○ en blanco blank Deje Ud. esta hoja en blanco. Leave this sheet blank. ○ hacer blanco to hit the mark Hicieron blanco tres veces. They hit the mark three times. ○ tirar al blanco to shoot at the target, have target practice Los soldados tiraron al blanco por la mañana. The soldiers had target practice in the morning.
• blando soft; tender.
• blanquillo egg [Mex].
• bloque [m] block, piece.
• blusa blouse.
• bobo fool; foolish ¡Hijo, no seas bobo! Son, don't be foolish!
• boca mouth No abrió la boca en toda a tarde. He didn't open his mouth all afternoon. ^▲ entrance (of subway, cave, etc) En la esquina está la boca del metro. The subway entrance is on the corner.
  ○ boca abajo on one's stomach, face down El niño duerme boca abajo. The child's sleeping on his stomach. ○ boca arriba on one's back, upside down Estaba echado en la playa boca arriba. He was lying on his back on the beach.
• bocacalle [f] street intersection.
• bocado mouthful; bit.
• bochorno embarrassment ¡Qué bochorno pasamos! What an embarrassing situation that was! ^▲ sultry weather ¡Qué bochorno hace! What sultry weather we're having!
• bochornoso embarrassing; shameful ¡Qué acción bochornosa! What a shameful action! ^▲ sultry.
• bocina horn Toque la bocina para que ese auto nos deje pasar. Blow the horn so that car'll let us pass.
• boda wedding.
• bodega (wine) cellar, winery; storehouse; [Am] grocery store.
• bofe lung.
  ○ echar los bofes to pant, be out of breath Estoy echando los bofes. I'm out of breath.
• bofetada slap.
• bohemio [adj; n] Bohemian.
• boina beret.
• bola ball, round body or mass Deme Ud. esa bola de hierro. Give me that iron ball. ^▲ ball (to play with) [Am] Compramos unas bolas de tenis. We bought some tennis balls. ^▲ crowd [Mex] Había una bola de gente a la entrada del teatro. There was a crowd of people at the entrance of the theater.
• boleador [m] bootblack [Mex].
• boletería box office [Am].
• boleto ticket [Am].
• bolo drunkard [Am].
  ○ jugar a los bolos to bowl.
• bolsa purse Llevaba una bolsa de seda. She carried a silk purse. ^▲ bag Necesito una bolsa de papel para guardarlo. I need a paper bag to put it in. ^▲ stock exchange No'sé como están hoy las cotizaciones en la bolsa. I don't know what the quotations are on the exchange today.
• bolsillo pocket; [Sp] (woman's) handbag, purse.
• bomba pump Usaron una bomba para sacar el agua. They used a pump to take out the water. ^▲ bomb La bomba destruyó tres casas. The bomb destroyed three houses.—¡Cayó como una bomba! It struck like a bombshell!
  ○ bomba de gasolina gasoline pump; filling station ¿Dónde hay una bomba de gasolina? Where is there a filling station? ○ bomba de incendios fire engine.
  || Se puso una bomba. He got drunk [Am].
• bombero fireman (fire department).
• bombilla (electric) bulb Se han fundido tres bombillas. Three bulbs have burned out.
• bonaerense [adj; n] (native) of Buenos Aires.
• bondad [f] kindness, goodness Le agradezco su bondad. Thank you for your kindness.
  ○ tener la bondad (de) please Tenga la bondad de esperar un momento. Please wait a moment.
• bondadoso [adj] kind.
• boniato sweet potato [Sp, Cuba].
• bonito pretty.
• bono government bond.
• boquilla cigarette holder.
• bordar to embroider.
• borde [m] edge, border.
• bordo ○ a bordo aboard (ship).
• borrachera drunkenness.
  ○ coger una borrachera to get drunk.
• borracho [n, adj] drunkard; drunk.
• borrar to rub out, erase.
• bosque [m] forest, woods.
• bostezar to yawn.
• bostezo yawn.
• bota boot; wine bag.
• botado (See botar) cheap, inexpensive [Am] Está botado. It's dirt-cheap. ^▲ lying (down) [Am] Estaba botado en la cama. He was lying on the bed.
• botar to throw away [Am] Tenga cuidado, no bote esos papeles. Be careful, don't throw away those papers. ^▲ to throw out, fire Le han botado de su empleo. They've fired him. ^▲ to bounce [Sp] Mire cuanto bota esa pelota. Look how that ball bounces.
• bote [m] boat. ^▲ can, box Quiero un bote de tomates. I want a can of tomatoes
  ○ dar un bote to jump Cuando lo oyó dio un bote. When he heard it he jumped. ○ de bote en bote crowded, jammed El teatro estaba de bote en bote. The theater was jammed.
• botella bottle.
• botica pharmacy.
• botón [m] button.
• botones [m sg] bellboy.
• boxeador [m] boxer, prize fighter.
• bozal [m] muzzle (for animals).
• bravo fierce, wild Cuidado, es un toro bravo. Be careful, it's a fierce bull. ^▲ angry, mad [Am] Se puso muy bravo. He got very mad.
  || ¡Bravo! Bravo!
• brazo arm (of body).
  ○ ir del brazo to go arm in arm.
• brea pitch, tar.
• breve brief, short.
  ○ en breve in a little while, shortly.
• brillante shiny No me gusta este papel; es muy brillante. I don't like this paper; it's too shiny. ^▲ [m] diamond Le regaló una pulsera de brillantes. He gave her a diamond bracelet.
• brillantina brilliantine.
• brillar to shine.
• brillo gloss, shine.
• brincar to leap, jump.
• brindar to drink to a person's health, toast ¡Brindemos a su salud! Let's drink to your health!
• brindis [m sg] toast (ceremony).
• brisa breeze.
• brocha paint brush; shaving brush.
• broma joke, jest Siempre está diciendo bromas. He's always joking.
  ○ en broma as a joke Lo dije en broma. I said it as a joke. ○ tomar a broma to take lightly, take as a joke Todo lo toma a broma. He takes everything lightly.
• bromear to joke Está siempre bromeando. He's always joking.
• bronca fight, quarrel.
  ○ armar una bronca to pick a quarrel, start a fight.
• bronce [m] bronze.
• brotar to bud, sprout.
• brújula (mariner's) compass.
• brusco abrupt, rough Es brusco en su manera de hablar. He's abrupt in his way of speaking.
• brutal brutal.
• bruto beast, brute No seas bruto. Don't be a brute.
• budín [m] pudding.
• buen good, kind Es un buen hombre. He's a good man.
• bueno good Ese automóvil es muy bueno. That's a very good car. ^▲ appropriate, good Era una buena ocasión. It was a good opportunity. ^▲ well, all right No estoy muy bueno. I'm not feeling very well. ^▲ well, all right, O.K. Bueno, nos veremos a las cinco. All right, we'll meet at five.
  ○ por las buenas willingly Me lo dio por las buenas. He gave it to me willingly.
  || ¡Está bueno! That's enough! [Am]
  || Buenos días. Good morning.
• buey [m] ox.
• bufanda muffler, scarf.
• buho owl.
• bujía candle; spark plug; watt.
• bulla noise, racket.
  ○ armar bulla to make a racket Armaron una bulla terrible. They made a terrible racket.
• bulto bundle Salió con un bulto de ropa en la mano. He went out with a bundle of clothes in his hand. ^▲ swelling, lump Tiene un bulto en la cabeza. He has a swelling on his head.
  ○ escurrir, huir, or sacar el bulto to duck out En cuanto vio lo que había que hacer escurrió el bulto. As soon as he saw what he had to do, he ducked out.
• buque [m] ship, steamer.
• burla mockery, jest.
  ○ hacer burla to make fun of, make a fool of Le estaban haciendo burla. They were making fun of him.
• burlarse de to make fun of Se burla de todo el mundo. He makes fun of everybody.
• burro donkey, ass. ^▲ jackass, dope ¡Qué burro eres! What a dope!
• busca ○ en busca de in search of.
• buscar to look for, seek.
• busto bust.
• butaca arm chair; orchestra seat.
• buzón [m] mail box Eche Ud. estas cartas en el buzón. Put these letters in the mail box.