Today’s topic is “How To Say The Names Of The Five Fingers In Spanish.” I am not going to get into a debate about whether or not the thumb is actually a finger or not. But I was browsing through the Net a few days ago and visiting some of the online community sites where people learning Spanish and people learning English like to meet.
That’s where I found a question about Spanish vocabulary that someone posted. So I decided to make a blog post on this topic in case this is a Spanish vocabulary question that you also want answered.
How To Say The Names of the 5 Fingers in Spanish
1. pulgar (dedo gordo) — thumb – And the word “pulgada” means “inch.” So I guess a thumb is called a “pulgar” because a thumb is the size on an inch more or less — or a “pulgar” is the size of a “pulgada” — más o menos.
2. índice — index finger. To remember this one, just think of the Spanish verb “indicar” which means to indicate or to point out.
3. medio — middle finger
4. anular — ring finger
5. meñique — pinky
And always remember that “dedo” can mean either “toe” or “finger.” To make it clear — which one you are referring to, just say “dedo de mano” for “finger” and “dedo de pie” for “toe”.
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finger [ˈfɪŋɡəʳ]
noun
1 (Anat) dedo (m)
he ran his fingers through her hair he wore a ring on his third finger to [count] on the fingers of one hand
I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times you've taken me out con los dedos de la mano se pueden contar las veces que me has sacado
to cross one's fingerskeep one's fingers crossed
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you cruzo los dedos (por ti); ojalá tengas suerte; fingers crossed! (for someone) ¡(que tengas) suerte!; ¡buena suerte!; (for o.s.) ¡deséame suerte!
he crossed his fingers and asked for luck
index finger (dedo (m)) índice (m)
to [lay] a finger on sb
they never laid a finger on her no le pusieron la mano encima
don't you ever lay a finger on him again to [lift] [raise] a finger (to do sth)
he didn't lift a finger to help us no movió un dedo para ayudarnos
she never lifts a finger around the house nunca mueve un dedo para ayudar en la casa
little finger (dedo (m)) meñique (m)
middle finger (dedo (m)) corazón (m) or medio (m)
ring finger (dedo (m)) anular (m)
to snap one's fingers chasquear los dedos
she only has to snap her fingers and he comes running no tiene más que chasquear los dedos y él viene corriendo
to burn one's fingers
get one's fingers burnt
pillarse los dedos
he burned his fingers by promising them more than he could afford he's had his fingers burnt by bad deals
to get or pull one's finger out espabilarse
isn't it about time you pulled your finger out?
to have a finger in every pie estar metido en todo
my boss likes to have a finger in every pie he's a man with a finger in lots of pies
to point the finger at sb acusar a algn; señalar a algn
evidence points the finger of suspicion at his wife las pruebas señalan a su mujer como sospechosa
he said he wasn't going to point the finger at anyone to have keep one's finger on the pulse
to put one's finger on sth
there's something wrong, but I can't put my finger on it hay algo que está mal, pero no sé exactamente qué; there was nothing you could put your finger on no había nada concreto
it's a feeling I can't quite put my finger on she couldn't put her finger on why she felt uneasy to put the finger on sb to slip through sb's fingers
to slip through one's fingers escapársele de las manos
I'm sorry, the cup just slipped through my fingers you shouldn't let a chance like this slip through your fingers money has always slipped through his fingers don't let him slip through your fingers because you don't know how to make the next move to have sticky fingers if sb has sticky fingers, or is a sticky fingers, they have a tendency to take things that don't belong to them
to be all fingers and thumbs ser un/una manazas; ser muy desmañadoadesmañada;a desmañada
his fingers are all thumbs, he is all fingers and thumbs
he's got her twisted round his little finger hace con ella lo que quiere
to put two fingers up at sb
give sb the two fingers
hacer un corte de mangas a algn (informal)
to work one's fingers to the bone dejarse la piel trabajando (informal)
he's been working his fingers to the bone lately
2 [of glove] dedo (m)
it's got a hole in the finger I can't knit gloves - the fingers are too difficult
3 (shape) franja (f)
a finger of smoke una franja de humo; a finger of land projecting into the sea una lengua de tierra adentrándose en el mar
a thin finger of land that separates Pakistan from the Soviet Union a finger of smoke reached into the sky plantilla se da como universal aunque yo no lo conozco. galleta de champaña (Chi) y "vainilla" (Arg) (). Cristina cover the base with a layer of sponge fingers
4 (measure) [of drink] dedo (m)
I poured two fingers of bourbon into my glass I only had a finger of gin
transitive verb
1 (touch) toquetear
"I wonder" he said, fingering his beard A soldier fingering the trigger of his automatic rifle She ignored him and stood fingering rolls of cloth she had sat pensively fingering her little Russian brooch she fingered the stem of her wine glass he fingered the coins in his pocket Ronald paused reflectively, fingering his tie he stood there fingering one after another until he found one he liked she went round the house fingering the curtains, the ornaments
2 (Britain) (betray, inform on) delatar
people who have fingered drug dealers the police manipulated the witness so that he would finger Aldo
3 (Mús) [+piano] teclear; [+guitar] rasguear; [+music score] marcar la digitación de
modifier
finger bowl (n) lavafrutas (m)
finger buffet (n) buffet (m) de canapés
finger food (n) (for babies) comida que los bebés pueden agarrar y comer con las manos; (US) canapés (m)
crispy `pancakes" are terrific finger food for a buffet or snack we always eat finger food such as prosciutto
finger paint (n) pintura (f) para pintar con los dedos
Buy special finger paints from the Early Learning Centre a signpost in the shape of a finger, or showing a pointing finger or hand