Spanish Conversation · Level 114
59 words
Spanish word
colar
Pronunciation
IPA/koˈlaɾ/
Meaning
- verbslip in
Example
El ladrón se coló por la ventana.
The thief slipped in through the window.
More examples
Se coló en la fiesta sin invitación.
He sneaked into the party without an invitation.
Core concept
Person slipping through a narrow side door into a room unnoticed.
Common phrases
colarse en una fiesta
sneak into a party
colarse en la fila
cut in line
colar el café
strain the coffee
Similar words
colarse: Cut into a line or join a crowd without permission to get in.
meterse: Move into a confined space or join a group by physically entering.
pasar: Pass through a place while continuing on to another location.
infiltrarse: Enter someplace secretly to carry out a hidden purpose.
Definition in Spanish
Pasar inadvertidamente por un paso estrecho o entre personas para entrar sin ser visto o sin permiso; también filtrar una sustancia líquida.
Word origin
Derived from Latin colare 'to strain', where the basic idea of passing through a small opening broadened to include entering places unseen.
Usage tips
- In everyday speech colarse often means 'cut in' for lines or events, for example colarse en la fila to mean 'cut in line'.