comillas (spanish) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation

Part of Speech

Noun (feminine plural)

Phonetic Transcription

/kɔˈmijas/

Translation Options into English

• Quotation marks
• Inverted commas

Meaning and Usage

Comillas refers to punctuation marks used in writing to indicate quoted speech or to highlight a particular phrase or word. In Spanish, comillas are typically used to enclose direct speech or to signify that a word is being used in a non-standard or ironic way.

Frequency of Use

Comillas are commonly used in both oral and written contexts, particularly in written texts such as literature, journalism, and academic writing. However, their use is more prevalent in written language, as they serve a grammatical function that is less relevant in spontaneous spoken discourse.

Example Sentences

1. El profesor dijo: "Es importante usar las comillas correctamente."
   The teacher said, "It is important to use quotation marks correctly."

2. Ella escribió que le gusta la música de "Queen."
   She wrote that she likes the music of "Queen."

3. En el ensayo, los términos técnicos están en comillas.
   In the essay, the technical terms are in quotation marks.

Idiomatic Expressions

While the word comillas itself may not feature prominently in many idiomatic expressions, it is often included in phrases related to quoting or referencing. Below are some example sentences that may involve comillas:

1. No entiendo por qué le pusieron "genio" en comillas.
   I don’t understand why they put "genius" in quotation marks.

2. Usa comillas para destacar lo que dijiste.
   Use quotation marks to emphasize what you said.

3. Cuando mencionas "la verdad," es bueno usar comillas.
   When you mention "the truth," it’s good to use quotation marks.

Etymology

The term comilla comes from the Latin word cumulus, meaning "heap" or "pile," which relates to how quotations are used to collect or pile together words or phrases from other sources. The diminutive form (comilla) may imply a "small" or "partial" use of the original words.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - Comillas inglesas (for English quotation marks) - Comillas simples (for single quotation marks)

Antonyms: - No hay un antónimo directo, pero se podría considerar el uso de texto sin comillas como una forma contraria.
(There is no direct antonym, but one could consider the use of text without quotation marks as a contrasting form.)