Cofre

[DailyWord]

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for September 18, 2009

cofre (masculine noun (el)) — chest, case, box, hood, bonnet. Look up cofre in the dictionary

Abrieron el cofre para descubrir el tesoro.
They opened the chest and discovered the treasure.

[EmpanadaRica]

Well interesting, in both Dutch and German the word 'koffer' exists, meaning 'maleta'/ 'suitcase'

It exists as ''coffer in English too but with a similar meaning as mentioned here

1.a box or chest, esp. one for valuables.2.coffers, a treasury; funds: The coffers of the organization were rapidly filled by the contributions.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coffer

So is this word still used frequently in Spanish or is it somewhat oldfashioned perhaps? Would you see it in stories/ fairytales or e.g. as in treasure chests with pirate stories?

Or would it be used daily as in a type of big box as well?

[CrOtALiTo]

I have the chest of my imagination.

The Barbara's chest.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Empanada: "cofre" or "baúl" can be big wooden boxes... not only treasure containers.


Otro cofre:

El mecánico me pidió que abriera el cofre del auto para ver el motor.
The mechanic asked me to open the hood of the car to see the motor.

[ookami]

Daily no, baúl is a lot more common for that. You will find it in fairy tales more than nothing.(is this okay?)

5. m. Méx. Parte del automóvil que contiene el motor.
I didn't knew that, we say "capot, "capó", "capota".

[EmpanadaRica]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

@Empanada: "cofre" or "baúl" can be big wooden boxes... not only treasure containers.


Otro cofre:

El mecánico me pidió que abriera el cofre del auto para ver el motor.
The mechanic asked me to open the hood of the car to see the motor.

Haha qué lastima... ya habia empezado imaginarme grandes historias de pirátes con cofres de oro...

Interesting, in Dutch we use 'kofferbak' (i.e. 'caja de maletas') para decir 'maletero'... (i.e. the 'trunk' of the car.. I always find 'trunk' such a strange word to refer to trees, cars as well as swimming gear ...)
So in fact 'el cofre' refers to the other side of the car..

Originally Posted by ookami

Daily no, baúl is a lot more common for that. You will find it in fairy tales more than nothing.(is this okay?)

5. m. Méx. Parte del automóvil que contiene el motor.
I didn't knew that, we say "capot, "capó", "capota".

As in 'hood', 'bonnet' , 'cap' (In Dutch this would be very similar : 'motorkap' entonces ' capó del motor' )

And in Spain which word is used most often?

[irmamar]

Here we say 'capó'

[EmpanadaRica]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Here we say 'capó'

¡Thanx!

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by EmpanadaRica

I always find 'trunk' such a strange word to refer to trees, cars as well as swimming gear ...

Elephants' noses...

[EmpanadaRica]

Originally Posted by pjt33

Elephants' noses...

Oh yes! I knew I had forgotten one...

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by ookami

Daily no, baúl is a lot more common for that. You will find it in fairy tales more than nothing.(is this okay?)

I would say "...more than anything."

Originally Posted by EmpanadaRica

It exists as ''coffer in English too but with a similar meaning as mentioned here

Or would it be used daily as in a type of big box as well?

"Cofre" in this context mostly reminds me of the English word "coffin" (more so than "coffer").

"Coffin" being the large wooden/metal/fiberglass crate in which a dead body is buried....

Although "coffer" technically refers to the box in which funds are kept, it is very common to use it to refer to money collected toward a fund. For example, my math colleagues and I contribute $20 at the beginning of each school year for plastic flatware, plates, birthday cakes, etc. - we each put $20 into the coffer. The coffer is still low this year because not everyone has contributed yet.....

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by ookami

5. m. Méx. Parte del automóvil que contiene el motor.
I didn't knew that, we say "capot, "capó", "capota".

Oh - and I would adjust some of the English terms being given here about cars. Typically, in most cars, the motor is found in the front: under the "hood". And, typically, in most cars, the "trunk" is in the back of the car where one puts one's suitcase or other things that you might want to carry in your car.

[ookami]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I would say "...more than anything."

Thanks. Is there some rule or something like that to distinguish when to use nothing and anything to say nada?

"I don't have nothing/anything." Are both options the same?

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by ookami

Thanks. Is there some rule or something like that to distinguish when to use nothing and anything to say nada?

"I don't have nothing/anything." Are both options the same?

Well, I would say that the most applicable rule is that we don't use "double negatives" like you do in Spanish.

"I don't have nothing." - means, literally, I don't have "nothingness", which actually means that I have SOMETHING.

"I don't have anything." - that means, literally, that I don't have ANY THING.

Also, you could say "I have nothing."

In Spanish: No tengo nada. ???

[ookami]

"I have nothing", yes, know that you mentioned that about doble negatives I understand.
Thanks

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by ookami

"I have nothing", yes, now that you mentioned that about double negatives I understand.
Thanks

Our NON-use of double negatives must sound as strange to you as the USE of double negatives sounds to my English ears....

[EmpanadaRica]

Originally Posted by laepelba

"Cofre" in this context mostly reminds me of the English word "coffin" (more so than "coffer").

"Coffin" being the large wooden/metal/fiberglass crate in which a dead body is buried....

Well yes I know the word 'coffin' But I wonder if this is how it is used in Spanish..
I know 'coffer' isn't a word used often in English (I was referring to its existence in terms of the word itself, the likeness/resemblance of this word occurring in different languages eventhough meaning something slightly different. ) Thanx for the explanation about it, because I have hardly ever heard this word used in English.

So I thought a 'cofre' would be more along the lines of this:



or:



Or would it be used for something more along the lines of an actual coffin in Spanish too..?

[ookami]

That's an ataúd, sarcófago, féretro, etc. but not a cofre.
This is a cofre:


:P

[EmpanadaRica]

Ok so cofre is more like the first two pictures I placed not so much like an actual coffin then?

¡Gracias!

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Coffin: ataúd, caja/cajón de muerto, féretro, catafalco.