Spanish word

podar

Pronunciation

IPA/poˈðaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbprune

Example

Necesito podar las rosas este fin de semana.

I need to prune the roses this weekend.

Illustration for podar (prune)

More examples

Antes del invierno hay que podar el seto para protegerlo del frío.

Before winter you need to prune the hedge to protect it from the cold.

Core concept

Trimming a rose bush's shoots to shape it.

Common phrases

  • podar el seto

    prune the hedge

  • podar los arbustos

    prune the shrubs

Similar words

cortar: Cuts objects or materials with scissors, a knife, or shears to separate or shorten them.
recortar: Cuts away a small excess to tidy an item's shape or slightly reduce its size.

Definition in Spanish

Cortar partes de una planta para eliminar exceso de brotes y así mejorar la floración o la forma.

Word origin

From Latin putare 'to trim or clean', Spanish podar developed through Romance forms into the basic verb for cutting back shoots and shaping plants.

Usage tips

  • Podar is used specifically for trees, shrubs, and vines to shape growth or encourage flowering, so use cortar or recortar for hair or nonliving materials.

Other meanings

  • clipverb
  • cut backverb

Opposites

Related words

  • podapruningnoun
  • podadoprunedadjective

Word lists with this word