Spanish Conversation · Level 158
29 words
Spanish word
machacar
Pronunciation
IPA/matʃaˈkaɾ/
Meaning
- verbmash
Example
No machacar demasiado las patatas.
Don't mash the potatoes too much.
More examples
La derrota no le machacó el ánimo.
The defeat did not demoralize him.
Core concept
Potatoes crushed into a soft puree.
Common phrases
machacar las patatas
mash the potatoes
machacar la moral
demoralize
Similar words
aplastar: Flatten by pressing down hard so a thing becomes thin and loses its original form.
desmenuzar: Crumble into small pieces or flakes that separate easily by hand.
moler: Mill or grind ingredients using a tool until they become a powder or coarse meal.
triturar: Shred or crush into tiny bits or coarse particles, often with a grinder.
Definition in Spanish
Ejercer fuerza repetida sobre algo hasta deshacerlo en trozos muy pequeños o convertirlo en puré.
Word origin
From an Iberian Romance verb originally describing pounding with a mortar and pestle, it now means pressing something repeatedly until it breaks down into very small pieces or a puree.
Usage tips
- Common with foods such as patatas, ajo, and frutos secos, and also used with people in competitions to mean beat decisively.
Other meanings
- grindverb
- pulverizeverb
Opposites
- animarencourageverb
Related words
- machacamientopulverizationnoun
- machacadomashedadjective