cortar

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin curtāre, present active infinitive of curtō (“shorten”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /koɾˈtaɾ/, [koɾˈt̪aɾ]

Verb

cortar (first-person singular indicative present corto, past participle cortáu)

1. Alternative form of curtar

Conjugation

Conjugation of cortar

infinitive		cortar
gerund		cortando
past participle		m cortáu, f cortada, n cortao, m pl cortaos, f pl cortaes
person		first singular yo	second singular tu	third singular él/elli	first plural nosotros/nós	second plural vosotros/vós	third plural ellos
indicative	present	corto	cortes	corta	cortamos	cortáis	corten
	imperfect	cortaba	cortabes	cortaba	cortábemos, cortábamos	cortabeis, cortabais	cortaben
	preterite	corté	cortasti, cortesti	cortó	cortemos	cortastis, cortestis	cortaron
	pluperfect	cortare, cortara	cortares, cortaras	cortare, cortara	cortáremos, cortáramos	cortareis, cortarais	cortaren, cortaran
	future	cortaré	cortarás	cortará	cortaremos	cortaréis	cortarán
	conditional	cortaría	cortaríes	cortaría	cortaríemos, cortaríamos	cortaríeis, cortaríais	cortaríen
subjunctive	present	corte	cortes, cortas	corte	cortemos	cortéis	corten, cortan
	imperfect	cortare, cortara	cortares, cortaras	cortare, cortara	cortáremos, cortáramos	cortareis, cortarais	cortaren, cortaran
imperative		—	corta	—	—	cortái	—

See also

• tayar

Galician

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese cortar, from Latin curtāre (“to shorten”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [koɾˈtaɾ]

Verb

cortar (first-person singular present corto, first-person singular preterite cortei, past participle cortado)

1. (transitive) to cut

   Synonym: tallar

2. (transitive) to cut off

   Synonym: tallar

3. (transitive) to cut down

   Synonym: pinchar

4. (transitive, a language) to smatter
5. (pronominal, milk or food) to spoil

Conjugation

    Conjugation of cortar

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	cortar
Personal	cortar	cortares	cortar	cortarmos	cortardes	cortaren
Gerund
	cortando
Past participle
Masculine	cortado			cortados
Feminine	cortada			cortadas
Indicative
Present	corto	cortas	corta	cortamos	cortades	cortan
Imperfect	cortaba	cortabas	cortaba	cortabamos	cortabades	cortaban
Preterite	cortei	cortaches	cortou	cortamos	cortastes	cortaron
Pluperfect	cortara	cortaras	cortara	cortaramos	cortarades	cortaran
Future	cortarei	cortarás	cortará	cortaremos	cortaredes	cortarán
Conditional	cortaría	cortarías	cortaría	cortariamos	cortariades	cortarían
Subjunctive
Present	corte	cortes	corte	cortemos	cortedes	corten
Imperfect	cortase	cortases	cortase	cortásemos	cortásedes	cortasen
Future	cortar	cortares	cortar	cortarmos	cortardes	cortaren
Imperative
Affirmative		corta	corte	cortemos	cortade	corten
Negative (non)		non cortes	non corte	non cortemos	non cortedes	non corten

    Reintegrated conjugation of cortar (See Appendix:Reintegrationism)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti / tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	cortar
Personal	cortar	cortares	cortar	cortarmos	cortardes	cortarem
Gerund
	cortando
Past participle
Masculine	cortado			cortados
Feminine	cortada			cortadas
Indicative
Present	corto	cortas	corta	cortamos	cortades, cortais	cortam
Imperfect	cortava	cortavas	cortava	cortávamos	cortávades, cortáveis, cortávais1	cortavam
Preterite	cortei	cortaste, cortache1	cortou	cortamos	cortastes	cortárom, cortaram
Pluperfect	cortara	cortaras	cortara	cortáramos	cortárades, cortáreis, cortárais1	cortaram
Future	cortarei	cortarás	cortará	cortaremos	cortaredes, cortareis	cortarám, cortarão
Conditional	cortaria	cortarias	cortaria	cortaríamos	cortaríades, cortaríeis, cortaríais1	cortariam
Subjunctive
Present	corte	cortes	corte	cortemos	cortedes, corteis	cortem
Imperfect	cortasse	cortasses	cortasse	cortássemos	cortássedes, cortásseis	cortassem
Future	cortar	cortares	cortar	cortarmos	cortardes	cortarem
Imperative
Affirmative		corta	corte	cortemos	cortade, cortai	cortem
Negative (nom)		nom cortes	nom corte	nom cortemos	nom cortedes, nom corteis	nom cortem

¹Less recommended.

References

• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “cortar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “cortar”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: ILG
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “cortar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “cortar”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “cortar”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese cortar, from Latin curtāre (“to shorten”).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /koʁˈta(ʁ)/ [kohˈta(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /koʁˈta(ʁ)/ [kohˈta(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /koɾˈta(ɾ)/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /koʁˈta(ʁ)/ [koχˈta(χ)]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /koɻˈta(ɻ)/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kuɾˈtaɾ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kuɾˈtaɾ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kuɾˈta.ɾi/

• Hyphenation: cor‧tar

Verb

cortar (first-person singular present corto, first-person singular preterite cortei, past participle cortado)

1. (transitive) to cut (to split using a sharp instrument)

   Eu me cortei no espinhal.

   I got cut in the thorn thicket.

   Corte a torta em sete pedaços.

   Cut the pie into seven pieces.

   Synonym: talhar

   1. (transitive) to cut (to trim or fashion nails, hair, grass, or something similar)

      A cabeleireira cortou meu cabelo mal.

      The hairdresser cut my hair badly.

   2. (transitive) to fell; to cut down; to chop down (to drop a tree by cutting its trunk)

      Preciso de uma licença para cortar essa imbuia.

      I need a license to cut down this imbuia.

   3. (intransitive) to cut (to be sharp enough to cut)

      Essa espada é decorativa; não corta.

      This sword is decorative; it doesn’t cut.

2. (transitive) to cut (to remove or reduce a supply or provision)

   Querem cortar os gastos rápido!

   They want to cut the expenses fast!

   A companhia cortou a água do meu prédio porque eu não paguei a conta.

   The company cut the water supply to my building because I didn’t pay the bill.

3. (transitive) to cross; to cut through (to have its course within)

   O rio Tejo corta Portugal.

   The Tagus crosses Portugal.

4. (transitive) to cross; to intersect (to form an intersection with)

   Linhas paralelas nunca se cortam.

   Parallel lines never cross one another.

   A estrada da minha casa corta a avenida.

   The street of my house crosses the avenue.

   Synonym: cruzar

5. (computing, transitive) to cut (to erase data such that it is moved to the clipboard)

   Corte esse parágrafo e cole-o na última página.

   Cut this paragraph and paste it in the last page.

6. (card games, transitive, intransitive) to divide a recently shuffled deck into two sets

   Geralmente quem joga antes do distribuidor corta.

   Usually, the person who plays before the dealer cuts the deck.

7. (transitive) to interrupt (to halt an ongoing process)

   Não conseguirei me explicar se você ficar me cortando.

   I won’t be able to explain myself if you keep interrupting me.

8. (sports, transitive) to intercept (to get the ball while it is being passed)

   Silva cortou a bola e correu para o gol.

   Silva intercepted the ball and ran towards the goal.

   Synonym: interceptar

9. (driving, transitive, intransitive) to overtake and move in front of another vehicle suddenly

   Quase bati num motoqueiro que me cortou.

   I almost hit a biker who moved in front of me.

10. (intransitive) to turn (to rotate and move to a perpendicular direction) [with para ‘towards’]

    Para chegar em Albuquerque, corte para a esquerda no segundo cruzamento.

    In order to reach Albuquerque, turn left at the second crossroad.

    Synonym: virar

11. (transitive) to get one's hair cut; to get a haircut.

    Cortei o cabelo hoje.

    I got my hair cut today

Conjugation

    Conjugation of cortar (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	cortar
Personal	cortar	cortares	cortar	cortarmos	cortardes	cortarem
Gerund
	cortando
Past participle
Masculine	cortado			cortados
Feminine	cortada			cortadas
Indicative
Present	corto	cortas	corta	cortamos	cortais	cortam
Imperfect	cortava	cortavas	cortava	cortávamos	cortáveis	cortavam
Preterite	cortei	cortaste	cortou	cortamos1, cortámos2	cortastes	cortaram
Pluperfect	cortara	cortaras	cortara	cortáramos	cortáreis	cortaram
Future	cortarei	cortarás	cortará	cortaremos	cortareis	cortarão
Conditional	cortaria	cortarias	cortaria	cortaríamos	cortaríeis	cortariam
Subjunctive
Present	corte	cortes	corte	cortemos	corteis	cortem
Imperfect	cortasse	cortasses	cortasse	cortássemos	cortásseis	cortassem
Future	cortar	cortares	cortar	cortarmos	cortardes	cortarem
Imperative
Affirmative		corta	corte	cortemos	cortai	cortem
Negative (não)		não cortes	não corte	não cortemos	não corteis	não cortem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Latin curtāre (“shorten”). Compare English curtail.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /koɾˈtaɾ/ [koɾˈt̪aɾ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: cor‧tar

Verb

cortar (first-person singular present corto, first-person singular preterite corté, past participle cortado)

1. to cut

   Synonym: tajar

2. to cut off, cut out, cut through, cut down, cut up, to nip
3. to chop, chop up, chop off
4. to slice, to slit
5. to mow
6. to slash, to hack
7. to carve, to engrave
8. to hang up, to terminate a telephone call

   Synonym: colgar

9. (Chile, informal) to stop an action

   Synonym: parar

   ¡Córtala!, déjame tranquilo.

   Stop it! leave me alone.

10. (Chile) to shut off

    Synonym: cerrar

    Corta el agua, por favor.

    Shut the water off please.

11. to finish a relationship

    Deberías cortar con él.

    You should break up with him.

12. (reflexive) to haircut
13. to cut, to cut off, to slit (oneself or a part of the body)

Conjugation

    Conjugation of cortar (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			cortar
gerund			cortando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		cortado		cortada
		plural		cortados		cortadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	corto	cortastú cortásvos	corta	cortamos	cortáis	cortan
	imperfect	cortaba	cortabas	cortaba	cortábamos	cortabais	cortaban
	preterite	corté	cortaste	cortó	cortamos	cortasteis	cortaron
	future	cortaré	cortarás	cortará	cortaremos	cortaréis	cortarán
	conditional	cortaría	cortarías	cortaría	cortaríamos	cortaríais	cortarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	corte	cortestú cortésvos2	corte	cortemos	cortéis	corten
	imperfect (ra)	cortara	cortaras	cortara	cortáramos	cortarais	cortaran
	imperfect (se)	cortase	cortases	cortase	cortásemos	cortaseis	cortasen
	future1	cortare	cortares	cortare	cortáremos	cortareis	cortaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		cortatú cortávos	corte	cortemos	cortad	corten
	negative		no cortes	no corte	no cortemos	no cortéis	no corten

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of cortar

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive cortar
	dative	cortarme	cortarte	cortarle, cortarse	cortarnos	cortaros	cortarles, cortarse
	accusative	cortarme	cortarte	cortarlo, cortarla, cortarse	cortarnos	cortaros	cortarlos, cortarlas, cortarse
with gerund cortando
	dative	cortándome	cortándote	cortándole, cortándose	cortándonos	cortándoos	cortándoles, cortándose
	accusative	cortándome	cortándote	cortándolo, cortándola, cortándose	cortándonos	cortándoos	cortándolos, cortándolas, cortándose
with informal second-person singular tú imperative corta
	dative	córtame	córtate	córtale	córtanos	not used	córtales
	accusative	córtame	córtate	córtalo, córtala	córtanos	not used	córtalos, córtalas
with informal second-person singular vos imperative cortá
	dative	cortame	cortate	cortale	cortanos	not used	cortales
	accusative	cortame	cortate	cortalo, cortala	cortanos	not used	cortalos, cortalas
with formal second-person singular imperative corte
	dative	córteme	not used	córtele, córtese	córtenos	not used	córteles
	accusative	córteme	not used	córtelo, córtela, córtese	córtenos	not used	córtelos, córtelas
with first-person plural imperative cortemos
	dative	not used	cortémoste	cortémosle	cortémonos	cortémoos	cortémosles
	accusative	not used	cortémoste	cortémoslo, cortémosla	cortémonos	cortémoos	cortémoslos, cortémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative cortad
	dative	cortadme	not used	cortadle	cortadnos	cortaos	cortadles
	accusative	cortadme	not used	cortadlo, cortadla	cortadnos	cortaos	cortadlos, cortadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative corten
	dative	córtenme	not used	córtenle	córtennos	not used	córtenles, córtense
	accusative	córtenme	not used	córtenlo, córtenla	córtennos	not used	córtenlos, córtenlas, córtense

Derived terms

• cambio y corto
• cortabolsas
• cortacésped
• cortacorriente
• cortadura
• cortafuegos
• cortapisa
• cortaplumas
• cortar de raíz
• cortar de tijera
• cortar de vestir
• cortar el bacalao
• cortar el rabo
• cortar el revesino
• cortar el rollo
• cortar la cólera
• cortar las ondas
• cortar por lo sano
• cortar un pelo en el aire
• cortarla
• cortarramas
• cortarrollos
• cortarse la coleta
• cortatubos
• cortaúñas
• cortavientos
• manos besa el hombre, que querría ver cortadas
• no te cortes
• recortar
• tabla de cortar

 

Further reading

• “cortar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28