Cimiento

[DailyWord]

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for September 27, 2009

cimiento (masculine noun (el)) — foundation, groundwork, basis. Look up cimiento in the dictionary

Hicieron el cimiento de piedra y concreto.
They laid the foundation of stone and concrete.

[María José]

I'm used to hearing this word, both in English and in Spanish in the plural:
los cimientos= the foundations

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I agree... "cimientos" in plural is more common.

[brute]

What is the Spanish for cement please? Is it also cimiento? Is it also related to cemetery (cimentero)?

[laepelba]

I wouldn't really use the word "foundations" in the plural unless you are literally talking about more than one:
- They laid the foundation of the house.
- While starting the new development, they put in the foundations of all the homes at the same time.

Is "cimientos" also used for theoretical ideas as well?
- Estoy aprendiendo los cimientos de los derechos humanos por leyendo en el sitio web del UNHRC (Naciones Unidas Comiciando para los Derechos Humanos).

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by brute

What is the Spanish for cement please? Is it also cimiento? Is it also related to cemetery (cimentero)?

cement = cemento
cementary = cementerio

[ookami]

yes laepelba
3. m. Principio y raíz de algo. U. m. en pl. Los cimientos de la fe.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Originally Posted by laepelba

[...]
Is "cimientos" also used for theoretical ideas as well?
- Estoy aprendiendo los cimientos de los derechos humanos por leyendo en el sitio web del UNHRC (Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas Comiciando para los Derechos Humanos).

I agree with ookami. It can also be used in a figurative sense.

This is a mere matter of style, and I'd prefer "fundamentos" when you say you're learning ("estoy aprendiendo los fundamentos...").
I would use "Cimientos" as the "basis" in an argument, when you're more certain about it. But it's a good sentence, Lou Ann.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by brute

What is the Spanish for cement please? Is it also cimiento? Is it also related to cemetery (cimentero)?

Cement and cemetery aren't really related. It's just coincidence that they're spelt similarly.

Cement: c.1300, from O.Fr. ciment, from L. cæmenta "stone chips used for making mortar," from cædere "to cut down, chop, beat, hew, fell, slay" from PIE base *(s)k(h)a- "to strike" (cf. Skt. skhidati "beats, tears," Lith. kaisti "shave," Ger. heien "beat"). The sense evolution from "small broken stones" to "powdered stones used in construction" took place before the word reached Eng. The verb is from 1340.

Cemetery: 1387, from O.Fr. cimetiere "graveyard," from L.L. coemeterium, from Gk. koimeterion "sleeping place, dormitory," from koiman "to put to sleep," keimai "I lie down," from PIE base *kei- "to lie, rest" (cf. Goth haims "village," O.E. ham "home, house, dwelling"). Early Christian writers were the first to use it for "burial ground."

Source: http://www.etymonline.com/

[bobjenkins]

Hola puedo decir, "el anteproyecto es final, es cimiento" = the blueprints are final, they are set in stone"

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by bobjenkins

Hola puedo decir, "el anteproyecto es final, es cimiento" = the blueprints are final, they are set in stone"

Creo que es: el anteproyecto es definitivo, se asienta sobre (cimientos de) piedra.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

I agree with ookami. It can also be used in a figurative sense.

This is a mere matter of style, and I'd prefer "fundamentos" when you say you're learning ("estoy aprendiendo los fundamentos...").
I would use "Cimientos" as the "basis" in an argument, when you're more certain about it. But it's a good sentence, Lou Ann.

Thanks, Malila! Interesting, I definitely see that I spelled "Comisionado" correctly. And for the wording of the name of the organization, I re-wrote what I saw on their website: http://www.ohchr.org/SP/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx - Anyway, thanks for the pointer on the nuances of that use of the word.