Tapar
This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for January 11, 2010
tapar (verb) — to cover, hide, veil, stop, block, cement. Look up tapar in the dictionary Cuando llega el invierno, tapo mis plantas con una sábana, para que no se quemen con el frío. When winter comes I cover my plants with a sheet so they won't get frostbitten. El contador de la empresa tapa los robos del gerente, manipulando los números. The firm's bookkeeper conceals the manager's theft by manipulating the numbers. Las mujeres del Medio Oriente tapan su rostro. Women in the Middle East cover their faces. Taparon el pozo la semana pasada. The well was cemented over last week. No vayas por la avenida, porque está tapada. Don't use the main avenue because it's blocked. Esta crema no tapa los poros. This cream doesn't clog your pores. Tápate bien, que hace mucho frío. Wear warm clothes because it's really cold out. |
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1) Why "su" and not "el"? I thought that the indefinite article is to be used for body parts, and not the personal possessive. "The face..." instead of "her/their face..." ??? :?: 2) Why singular? Why not "las mujeres del Medio Oriente tapan sus/los rostros"? :?: Another question about the word "tapar". Is it similar in meaning to "ocultar"? What are the subtleties in differences in their meanings and usages? :?: |
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I didn't know that the word Cover means tapar.
Then can I say this. I covered my car because was raining. I cover my juice because there are a lot dust in the street. I will appreciate the support gave here in the forums. Please you correcting me if you have time. |
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Edit: oops there is a lot of dust Quote:
tras esa sonrisa se oculta una mala intención whereas tapar just means to cover up physically. :thinking::) Edit: if you wanted to cover your car up to protect it from rain and dust, you would use tapar. If you wanted to hide it from thieves, you would use ocultar |
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(By the way, I don't necessarily agree with your ":good::good:" for Crotalito's sentences... Sorry. :() |
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As for your other questions, which I thought were very good ones, I'm waiting for a Spanish speaker to answer.:) |
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Yeah, we'd say "it's raining out" or "it's snowing out" or "it's sunny out" or "it's cloudy out". I think it's probably a useless phrase, given that it had better NOT be raining INSIDE my house (!!), but definitely something that is said frequently.
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The table you did about "mi misma", etc.? Here: http://forums.tomisimo.org/showpost....63&postcount=8 ???
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Isn't it supposed to be: Me duele la boca. (In English, we say "MY mouth hurts") I thought that it was always impersonal when talking about parts of the body. Where is the answer to that in your chart? And the same with the question about singular vs. plural. I don't know what I'm supposed to be looking at in your chart to find the answer to that. Now I'm even more confused. :thinking::thinking::thinking: |
@Lou Ann:
Maybe someone can give a good grammar explanation for this, but this is how we say the same thing: Las mujeres en Medio Oriente se tapan el rostro. Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan su rostro. = Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan sus rostros. (You don't have to refer to each one of their faces, but it's the same meaning if you do.) |
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I covered my car because it was raining out. I will cover my computer because there is a lot dust in the street. I appreciate your support. |
Hola,
No tapes la salida porque la gente tiene que escapar en caso de un fuego inicia Tapáis la fuga ahora , ¡vamos a naufragar! Tapa la comida , se pondrá podrida |
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Good work, Bob. :) Corrections above. |
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"Las mujeres en Medio Oriente se tapan el rostro" is roughly like saying "The faces of [...] are covered." (More passive...) "Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan su rostro. = Las mujeres en Medio Oriente tapan sus rostros" is roughly like saying "[...] cover their faces." ?? |
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And well also thank you for the endurance. |
@Lou Ann: No, both sentences are active voice.
Passive voice: Los rostros de las mujeres en Medio Oriente son tapados. (Which sounds horrible and not clear btw.) ;) The difference is the pronominal form of the verb: taparse vs. tapar. (Not all the verbs can be like this though.) Ellas se tapan el rostro = ellas tapan su rostro. |
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Los rostros de las mujeres en Medio Oriente están siempre tapados. Es eso también Passive voice? de ser así, está más claro? |
Irma sabrá mejor, pero según yo, la voz pasiva se forma sólo con el verbo "ser", no "estar", pero hay otra forma de voz pasiva, que es la forma impersonal y que en este caso, suena mucho mejor: :)
En Medio Oriente se tapa el rostro de las mujeres. |
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Okay, so there was that previous question that I asked. (I really do wonder about that....)
Secondly, I already asked about "tapar" vs. "ocultar". Now I wonder how "cubrir" fits into the mix? Are all three somewhat synonymous? |
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Because the subject is los rostros and not las mujeres. Does that answer your question? Quote:
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ellas = them = their = su :D Correcto? Quote:
and it can mean or these are all related to Cover - conceal - hide I cover my face I conceal my face I hide my face Yes, they are all different but somewhat synonyms, right? I think you are stuck somewhere and cannot get ouuuut! :D One more, tapar = to put a lid. |
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On the same subject, of which I too despair, can anyone explain why my dictionary gives these two different examples of lack of possessive adjective?
Levantó los ojos del libro he raised his eyes from his book. Se levantó el sombrero he raised his hat. :thinking::thinking::thinking::thinking: |
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Levanta el sombrero de la silla. I don't know a good explanation to that question. Thinking a bit I've realised that usually you use pronominal verbs when you are talking about dressing or undressing (vestirse, desvestirse, ponerse o quitarse los zapatos, la camisa, etc.), I guess with a reflexive meaning, although it's used in reciprocal meanings, too. Maybe this could be an explanation of "levantarse el sombrero" or "quitarse el sombrero", though I can't be sure at all. :) |
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Please think about what I am going to say whether is correct or not in English. Raise your hand. = Levanta tu mano Raise the (left) hand = Levanta la mano (izquierda) I could've also used ...tu mano izquierda etc... On the reflexive is different La mano se levanta, y cae la guillotina. The hand raises (itself), and the guillotine falls. better? :) Quote:
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Does it work for you, if not let me know. |
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When you are sworn, do they say: Raise your left hand... or do they say Raise the left hand? Because after all you might get confused and take my left hand! uh! :D In any event, do not worry about if you would ever use it. I think it is grammatically correct to say "Raise the left hand..." Quote:
I have the feeling once you find out, you are going to feel bad. It has happened to me. Quote:
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As for the reason why there are no possessive adjectives in those sentences, the first one is more or less easy: his eyes, as a part of his body, are obviously his, so in this case, it is redundant to use possessive adjectives, unless one is making an emphasis. I think "del libro" instead of "su libro" is because the sentence "levantó los ojos de su libro" is ambiguous: his book's eyes? :eek: Standard Spanish correctness is supposed to avoid amphibological sentences. "Se levantó el sombrero" necessarily means he's wearing it, so one assumes it's his. If one says "levantó su sombrero", he's either wearing it or he's lifting it from the floor, a table or somewhere else. I hope I didn't make it more confusing. |
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By the way, some comedian on stage once said: Will all those who believe in telekinesis please raise my right hand. :D |
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I'll keep working on the pronominal vs. definite article stuff.... I'll get there eventually.... |
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If you're wearing your brother's hat, for instance, you "te levantas el sombrero". But if you see a hat on the floor, you "levantas el sombrero del suelo". :) |
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You obviously wouldn't find it in everyday speech in Spanish either, but that's where the richness of languages is. :) Quote:
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Thanks everyone, I think I actually learned something today. :thumbsup::thumbsup::) Remembering it is a different issue. :whistling:
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