Part of Speech

The word "cavar" is a verb in Spanish.

Phonetic Transcription

The phonetic transcription of "cavar" using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is /kaˈβaɾ/.

Translation Options into English

The primary translation of "cavar" in English is "to dig." It can also be translated in various contexts as "to excavate," "to hollow out," or "to burrow."

Meaning and Usage

"Cavar" means to remove or break up soil or another substance using tools such as a shovel or an excavator. This action is frequently used in contexts involving construction, gardening, archaeology, and landscaping. The word "cavar" is commonly used in both oral and written forms but may appear more frequently in written contexts related to technical or descriptive scenarios.

Example Sentences

1. Cavar un agujero en el jardín puede ser muy divertido.
   Digging a hole in the garden can be a lot of fun.

2. Los trabajadores tienen que cavar para construir los cimientos.
   The workers have to dig to build the foundations.

3. Voy a cavar un poco más profundo para encontrar las raíces de la planta.
   I am going to dig a little deeper to find the plant's roots.

Idiomatic Expressions

The term "cavar" appears in various idiomatic expressions in Spanish that give more depth to its contextual usage. Here are some idiomatic expressions:

1. Cavar su propia tumba
   To dig one's own grave, meaning to take actions that lead to one’s downfall or trouble.

2. Si sigues así, ¡estás cavando tu propia tumba!
   If you keep this up, you are digging your own grave!

3. Cavar hondo
   To dig deep, often used metaphorically to mean deeply investigating or searching for something.

4. Necesitamos cavar hondo para encontrar la verdad en este asunto.
   We need to dig deep to find the truth in this matter.

5. Cavar la cabeza en la arena
   To bury one’s head in the sand, referring to ignoring a problem.

6. No puedes cavar la cabeza en la arena, el problema no va a desaparecer solo.
   You can’t bury your head in the sand; the problem won’t just go away.

7. Cavar en las entrañas
   To dig into the guts, used figuratively to mean examining the most important or intricate parts of something.

8. El equipo de investigación necesita cavar en las entrañas del sistema para entender las fallas.
   The research team needs to dig into the guts of the system to understand the failures.

Etymology

The word "cavar" comes from the Latin verb "capare," which means "to dig." This reflects its core meaning of moving earth or soil.

Synonyms and Antonyms

• Synonyms: excavar (to excavate), hendir (to cleave), ahondar (to deepen)
• Antonyms: rellenar (to fill), cubrir (to cover), sellar (to seal)