Cundir

[laepelba]

In RAE:

1. tr. ant. ocupar (‖ llenar).
2. intr. Dicho de un líquido, especialmente del aceite: Extenderse hacia todas partes.
3. intr. Dicho de una cosa: Propagarse o multiplicarse.
4. intr. Dicho de una cosa: Dar mucho de sí, aumentar de volumen. El buen lino cunde porque da mucha hilaza. El arroz y el garbanzo cunden al cocerse.
5. intr. Dicho de una cosa inmaterial: Extenderse, propagarse.
6. intr. Dicho de un trabajo material o intelectual: adelantar (‖ progresar).

AND, the other use:

1. tr. Sal. sazonar (‖ la comida).

I have been told that the use of this word is difficult...

Mis dudas/intentos:
- It seems like #1 and #2 in the first quote are antiquated. Is that correct?
- #3 - Mi intento: El pueblo fue cundido con el temor de guerra.
- #4 - No entiendo los ejemplos: El buen lino cunde porque da mucha hilaza. El arroz y el garbanzo cunden al cocerse.
- #5 - Como #3?
- #6 - ??

And the other #1 - is it like this? Cunde la sopa con más sal.

Examples and explanations are always welcome!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

In RAE:


AND, the other use:


I have been told that the use of this word is difficult...

Mis dudas/intentos:
- It seems like #1 and #2 in the first quote are antiquated. Is that correct?
- #3 - Mi intento: El pueblo fue cundido con el temor de guerra.
- #4 - No entiendo los ejemplos: El buen lino cunde porque da mucha hilaza. El arroz y el garbanzo cunden al cocerse.
- #5 - Como #3?
- #6 - ??

And the other #1 - is it like this? Cunde la sopa con más sal.

Examples and explanations are always welcome!

Think of it as it stretches/expands/yields/spreads/grows

[JPablo]

Well, here is my input. Hope it helps.

#3 - Mi intento: El pueblo fue cundido con el temor de guerra.
The pasive does not sound very natural in Spanish I'd go with
#3 - El temor de la guerra cundió en el pueblo

- #4 - No entiendo los ejemplos: El buen lino cunde porque da mucha hilaza. El arroz y el garbanzo cunden al cocerse.
#4, it is kind of "the linen goes a long way" and "the rice and the garbanzo bean go further when you cook them, boil them"
- #5 - Como #3? Similar but using "abstract" concepts.
- #6 - ??
#6 si no me concentro en traducir no me cunde... (see examples below)

And the other #1 - is it like this? Cunde la sopa con más sal.
I was not familiar with this usage, I take your example is acceptable.
Me gusta cundir mi ensalada con pocos condimentos...

Oxford bilingual gives good examples of usage.
1 « rumor » to spread; « miedo » to grow;
¡que no cunda el pánico! = don’t panic!;
cundió la alarma entre los inversores = there was widespread alarm among investors;
cunde el temor a una reacción violenta =there are growing fears of a violent reaction;
empieza a cundir el escepticismo entre los electores = skepticism is becoming rife among the electorate, the electorate is becoming increasingly skeptical
2 (rendir): hoy no me ha cundido el trabajo = I haven’t got very far with my work today, I haven’t got much work done today;
hoy la mañana me cundió = I got a lot done this morning, I did a good morning’s work today, I had a profitable morning;
este detergente concentrado cunde más = this concentrated detergent goes further;
agreguémosle más arroz para que cunda = let’s add more rice to make it go further;
esta lana cunde mucho = this wool goes a long way

[ROBINDESBOIS]

The most usual use is number 2 (rendir)

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

Think of it as it stretches/expands/yields/spreads/grows

Would you mind giving me some examples, Chileno? Thanks!

Originally Posted by JPablo

Well, here is my input. Hope it helps.

#3 - Mi intento: El pueblo fue cundido con el temor de guerra.
The pasive does not sound very natural in Spanish I'd go with
#3 - El temor de la guerra cundió en el pueblo

- #4 - No entiendo los ejemplos: El buen lino cunde porque da mucha hilaza. El arroz y el garbanzo cunden al cocerse.
#4, it is kind of "the linen goes a long way" and "the rice and the garbanzo bean go further when you cook them, boil them"

Huh? How does "linen" go "a long way"? And who would eat rice or garbanzo beans without cooking them? Or are these supposed to be jokes?

Originally Posted by JPablo

- #5 - Como #3? Similar but using "abstract" concepts.
- #6 - ??
#6 si no me concentro en traducir no me cunde... (see examples below)

What does that mean in English (in red)?

Originally Posted by JPablo

And the other #1 - is it like this? Cunde la sopa con más sal.
I was not familiar with this usage, I take your example is acceptable.
Me gusta cundir mi ensalada con pocos condimentos...

Oxford bilingual gives good examples of usage.
1 « rumor » to spread; « miedo » to grow;
¡que no cunda el pánico! = don’t panic!;
cundió la alarma entre los inversores = there was widespread alarm among investors;
cunde el temor a una reacción violenta =there are growing fears of a violent reaction;
empieza a cundir el escepticismo entre los electores = skepticism is becoming rife among the electorate, the electorate is becoming increasingly skeptical
2 (rendir): hoy no me ha cundido el trabajo = I haven’t got very far with my work today, I haven’t got much work done today;
hoy la mañana me cundió = I got a lot done this morning, I did a good morning’s work today, I had a profitable morning;
este detergente concentrado cunde más = this concentrated detergent goes further;
agreguémosle más arroz para que cunda = let’s add more rice to make it go further;
esta lana cunde mucho = this wool goes a long way

It sounds to me like the last three examples under #2 (in red) would work better under #1...??

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

The most usual use is number 2 (rendir)

Is it possibly regional? It seems that Chileno's first thought was the first definition (spread, grow ... extender)... But today I was listening to a podcast from Spain and they said that it's perfectly normal to ask someone "¿Te cunde?" to see if someone's work is going well. Is that common usage in Latin America?

Thanks, all!

[chileno]

Like JPablo noted, it goes a long way (further) it is something to keep in mind in English.

Spread in "Fear spread among the ranks"

Productive as in yielding.

a cup of rice yields to feed more people than a cup of meat.

Is it better for you?

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

Like JPablo noted, it goes a long way (further) it is something to keep in mind in English.
I don't know how linen can go a long way (further)...
And what do you mean by "something to keep in mind in English"?

Spread in "Fear spread among the ranks"
I meant that examples in Spanish would help...

Productive as in yielding.
Again, examples in Spanish?

a cup of rice yields to feed more people than a cup of meat.
I still don't get how that has to do with "the rice and the garbanzo bean go further when you cook them, boil them"...

Is it better for you?

Not really... (see my magenta comments)...

Also, which is more common in Chile/Latin American Spanish? You seemed to indicate #1, but Robin says #2...??

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Not really... (see my magenta comments)...

Also, which is more common in Chile/Latin American Spanish? You seemed to indicate #1, but Robin says #2...??

When you cook rice or bean generally one cup will yield almost 4 cups of it, right?

That is very productive, it spread so much to feed more people than whatever one cup of another thing.

It goes a long way, it goes further than just a cup of say vegetables.

Am I explaining it that bad in English that you cannot even fathom the meaning and usage of "cundir"?

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

When you cook rice or bean generally one cup will yield almost 4 cups of it, right?

That is very productive, it spread so much to feed more people than whatever one cup of another thing.

It goes a long way, it goes further than just a cup of say vegetables.

Am I explaining it that bad in English that you cannot even fathom the meaning and usage of "cundir"?

Obviously your explanations are very good but my ability to understand is extremely horrible. Soy un ladrillo. If you are tired of explaining to me, then I will understand if you stop answering.

I'm still not sure about the following:
- I don't know enough about textiles. I don't understand how a textile can "spread"...
- In my thinking, "go further" (not written by you, but by Pablo...) and "yields" are two extremely different things. In the sentence about rice/garbanzos, does "cundir" indicate that they physically increase in size? To me, that doesn't mean "go further". Which is it? I mean, it is nonsensical to talk about uncooked rice, as no one would eat uncooked rice (right?)....

Would it be possible for someone to give me more examples in Spanish? I still find myself unable to put together any sentences using "cundir". I'm sorry I'm so thick.

Originally Posted by laepelba

Not really... (see my magenta comments)...

Also, which is more common in Chile/Latin American Spanish? You seemed to indicate #1, but Robin says #2...??

I still haven't gotten a clear idea of the usage here. Which meanings are used more often in which places?

[aleCcowaN]

In Argentina "cundir" is known almost exclusively and used mostly for "disseminate, permeate" describing a process that is like a row of dominoes falling. "Cunde el pánico" is a set phrase. Also "la estulticia cunde". But many things can "cundir". Let's see CREA:

Argentina: 12 cases in that main sense ("la delación cunde", "cunde el mal ejemplo", etc.)
Chile: 11 cases - 9 in that sense, 2 in the sense of "yield" or "prosper, grow"
Peru: 5 cases - 3 the main sense. 2 about "cunde la piel"
Colombia: 8 cases in the main sense
Venezuela: 4 cases in the main sense
Mexico: 15 cases in the main sense, but some having a nuance of taking root and propagate.
Spain: 77 cases, about 80% in that main sense. Some other senses.
Other countries: 14 cases.

The number follows approximately the proportion of text by origin in that database, so it looks the term is not more used here or there.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by aleCcowaN

In Argentina "cundir" is known almost exclusively and used mostly for "disseminate, permeate" describing a process that is like a row of dominoes falling. "Cunde el pánico" is a set phrase. Also "la estulticia cunde". But many things can "cundir". Let's see CREA:

Argentina: 12 cases in that main sense ("la delación cunde", "cunde el mal ejemplo", etc.)
Chile: 11 cases - 9 in that sense, 2 in the sense of "yield" or "prosper, grow"
Peru: 5 cases - 3 the main sense. 2 about "cunde la piel"
Colombia: 8 cases in the main sense
Venezuela: 4 cases in the main sense
Mexico: 15 cases in the main sense, but some having a nuance of taking root and propagate.
Spain: 77 cases, about 80% in that main sense. Some other senses.
Other countries: 14 cases.

The number follows approximately the proportion of text by origin in that database, so it looks the term is not more used here or there.

Thanks, Alec ... so where does the definition "(rendir): hoy no me ha cundido el trabajo" fit into your stats?

[aleCcowaN]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Thanks, Alec ... so where does the definition "(rendir): hoy no me ha cundido el trabajo" fit into your stats?

That meaning is unknown to me and I didn't found -nor looked for- instances of it. The examples meaning "yield" or "grow" use the notion of something popping out -the same way the dominoes felt in cascade-. That example "hoy no me ha cundido el trabajo" has a few search engine results, all of them a dictionary entry or references in language forums to the same dictionary entry, that is, probably something inexistent in reality.

Lo normal:

Cunde el pánico
Cunde el mal ejemplo.

Lo que parece ser regional:

Cunden en la piel unas manchas rojizas
El juníperus me ha cundido bastante y lo he tenido que podar.
La tierra cunde si se la cuida.

dominoes falling
mushrooms growing after the rain
oil spots floating on water and diseminating
fruits growing and becoming full and turgid
microorganisms developing on a Petri dish

those images symbolically represent the meaning of "cundir"

[irmamar]

Cundir el trabajo or el tiempo is common here.

[JPablo]

Well, I have been a bit busy, and wasn't able to answer the original questions... but looks like Chileno and AleCcowan have been given you good pointers.

Just on the "hoy no me ha cundido el trabajo" or similar usages is not uncommon in Spain.
An old lady knitting could say,
Me puse a hacer punto [tejer in México] y me cundió mucho, porque tenía la lana y bla, bla, bla...

Con estos albañiles bien preparados y con experiencia el trabajo cunde que da gusto... en dos semanas terminarán la casa.

El trabajo cunde: progresa, se adelanta...

Answering your questions above, (maybe you got some of these sorted out, but I am giving you what I know...)

Huh? How does "linen" go "a long way"? And who would eat rice or garbanzo beans without cooking them? Or are these supposed to be jokes?

The sense here is that "linen" (or wool, or whatever) "performs" well or allows you to perform well. (Rendir) The amount of effort you need to give is 1 and you get 2 in exchange. Like Chileno said, you put a cup of rice and one of garbanzo beans, and you get back 4X or 5X in terms of volume. No one would eat rice without cooking. But while "el arroz cunde" "una hamburguesa no sólo no cunde, sino que reduce su tamaño.These are not jokes at all. (Common usage in Spain.)e

What does that mean in English (in red)?
si no me concentro en traducir no me cunde...

If I don't focus on translating, it does not pay off [for me]...
(I.e., if I try to translate something while I listen to music and eat peanuts... my performance is poor... That is, I translate 3 pages in 2 hours, while if I focus, I get 5 pages done in the same 2 hours. "Me cunde más si me concentro".)


It sounds to me like the last three examples under #2 (in red) would work better under #1...??
Not really.
2 (rendir): hoy no me ha cundido el trabajo = I haven’t got very far with my work today, I haven’t got much work done today;
hoy la mañana me cundió = I got a lot done this morning, I did a good morning’s work today, I had a profitable morning;
este detergente concentrado cunde más = this concentrated detergent goes further; That is you get a better ratio "input/output". You put less detergent but can wash more clothes.
agreguémosle más arroz para que cunda = let’s add more rice to make it go further; Same, 1 cup of rice = 5 cups, 2 cups will go to 10 cups of cooked rice (or maybe more?)...
esta lana cunde mucho = this wool goes a long way
This type of wool allows the person working with to get more done (like knitting) as it has the perfect texture to speed up on the job...

I hope this now clarifies... otherwise, let us now!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Obviously your explanations are very good but my ability to understand is extremely horrible. Soy un ladrillo. If you are tired of explaining to me, then I will understand if you stop answering.

Oh please, do not feel bad. I said that because you want examples in Spanish, and I think you should be able to sort these terms in English first, since there are many for just "cundir".

But then again, it's just me, I know.

Originally Posted by laepelba

I'm still not sure about the following:
- I don't know enough about textiles. I don't understand how a textile can "spread"...
- In my thinking, "go further" (not written by you, but by Pablo...) and "yields" are two extremely different things. In the sentence about rice/garbanzos, does "cundir" indicate that they physically increase in size? To me, that doesn't mean "go further". Which is it? I mean, it is nonsensical to talk about uncooked rice, as no one would eat uncooked rice (right?)....

All these above should be thought of as (being) productive. Something that goes beyond of what's perceived by the eye/mind.

Originally Posted by laepelba

Would it be possible for someone to give me more examples in Spanish? I still find myself unable to put together any sentences using "cundir". I'm sorry I'm so thick.



I still haven't gotten a clear idea of the usage here. Which meanings are used more often in which places?

Alec and Pablo already provided that. Just keep at it. Sooner or later you'll get it. Don't despair.

Originally Posted by laepelba

Thanks, Alec ... so where does the definition "(rendir): hoy no me ha cundido el trabajo" fit into your stats?

Perfect. I wasn't productive in my job/work.

Originally Posted by irmamar

Cundir el trabajo or el tiempo is common here.

Same in Chile.

Alec brought up something that I had not taken in account. A word so common as cundir, wasn't used the same in all Spanish countries.