Spanish Conversation · Level 77
60 words
Spanish word
manchar
Pronunciation
IPA/manˈtʃaɾ/
Meaning
- verbdirty
Example
¡No manches la mesa!
Don't dirty the table!
More examples
Se me manchó la camisa con tinta.
My shirt got stained with ink.
Core concept
A dark blotch where something spilled.
Common phrases
manchar la ropa
stain the clothes
manchar la camisa
stain the shirt
manchar las manos
stain the hands
Similar words
ensuciar: Makes a surface dirty overall by covering it with dust, grease, or visible grime.
salpicar: Leaves small scattered droplets or splashes that form dot-like spots on a surface.
embarrar: Smears mud or thick dirt across a surface by rubbing, coating it with sticky streaks.
Definition in Spanish
Significa ensuciar algo dejando una mancha, y en forma pronominal mancharse indica que algo o alguien se ensucia.
Word origin
It derives from the noun mancha 'stain', which comes from Latin macula 'spot', and the verb expresses both causing a stain and becoming stained.
Usage tips
- Manchar also serves metaphorically (manchar la reputación) to mean sully or tarnish a reputation, and the casual Mexican '¡No manches!' is informal rather than a literal request.