cantar

m.

1 poem (literature).

eso es otro cantar that's another story

2 song, lay.

Su cantar era muy original His song was very original.

v.

1 to sing.

Elsa canta canciones de cuna Elsa sings lullabies.

Elsa canta en la ducha Elsa sings in the shower.

2 to sing (persona, ave).

3 to call (out).

4 to talk (informal) (confesar).

5 to stink (informal) (apestar). (peninsular Spanish)

le cantan los pies he has smelly feet

6 to stick out like a sore thumb (informal). (peninsular Spanish)

7 to sing to.

María le canta al bebé Mary sings to the baby.

* * *

cantar

► verbo transitivo

1 to sing

■ cantó una canción preciosa she sang a beautiful song

2 figurado (alabar) to praise, sing the praises of

■ cantaron las excelencias de sus vinos they sang the praises of their wines

3 figurado (misa) to sing, say

4 (en juegos de naipes) to call

5 familiar (confesar) to tell, reveal, confess; (delatar) to give away

■ el hombre cantó todo lo que sabía sobre el asesinato a la policía the man told the police everything he knew about the murder

► verbo intransitivo

1 to sing

■ cantaron a dos voces they sang a duet

2 (pájaros) to sing, chirp; (insectos) to chirp

3 familiar (confesar) to spill the beans, talk, confess

4 familiar (oler mal) to stink

■ le cantan los pies his feet stink

► nombre masculino

1 song

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

cantar como una almeja familiar to stick out like a sore thumb

cantarlas claras familiar to tell somebody straight

cantarle a alguien las cuarenta familiar to give somebody a piece of one's mind

cantarle a alguien las verdades figurado to give somebody a piece of one's mind

en menos que canta un gallo familiar in a flash, before you could say Jack Robinson

¡eso es otro cantar! familiar that's a totally different thing, that's a different kettle of fish

ser coser y cantar familiar to be as easy as pie, be child's play

■ aquel examen fue coser y cantar that exam was as easy as pie

cantar de gesta chanson de geste

Cantar de los Cantares Song of Songs, Song of Solomon

* * *

verb

to sing

* * *

1. VI

1) (Mús) to sing

cantas muy bien — you sing very well

en esa región hablan cantando — (fig) they talk in a singsong way in that region

los monjes cantaban en la abadía — the monks chanted o sang in the abbey

voz 2), b)

2) [pájaro] to sing; [gallo] to crow; [cigarra, grillo] to chirp

3) liter (=alabar) to sing of, sing the praises of

los poetas que le cantan a la mar — the poets who sing of o sing the praises of the sea

4) ** (=revelar) to spill the beans *; [a la policía] to squeal *

- cantar de plano

- los hechos cantan por sí solos

5) ** (=oler mal) to stink *, reek

te cantan los pies — your feet really stink * o reek

2. VT

1) [+ canción] to sing; [+ mantra, canto gregoriano] to chant; [+ misa] to sing, say; [+ número de lotería] to call out

- cantarlas claras

- cantar a algn las cuarenta

su madre le cantó las cuarenta cuando llegó a casa — his mother gave him a piece of her mind when he got home *

cantar victoria —

es muy pronto para cantar victoria, la crisis política continúa — it is too early to claim victory, the political crisis continues

-creo que ya está solucionado -no cantes victoria — "I think it's sorted out" - "don't speak too soon" o "don't count your chickens (before they're hatched)"

2) liter [+ mérito, belleza] to praise, eulogize

3) (=revelar) to confess

cantó todo lo que sabía — he confessed all that he knew

3. SM

1) (=canción) song; (Rel) chant

2) (Literat)

el Cantar de los Cantares — the Song of Songs

- eso es otro cantar

cantar de gesta — chanson de geste, epic poem

gallo I, 1)

* * *

I 1.

verbo transitivo

1)

a) <canción> to sing

cantárselas claras a alguien — (fam)

se las canté claras — I gave it to her o told her straight (colloq)

b) (en béisbol) to call

2) (liter) (ensalzar) to sing the praises of, extol the virtues of

el tan cantado mar — the oft-praised sea (liter)

3) (RPl fam) (pedirse)

canto la cama de arriba — bags I o bags the top bunk (colloq)

2.

cantar vi

1)

a) (Mús) to sing

habla cantando — she has a singsong voice

b) pájaro to sing; gallo to crow; cigarra/grillo to chirp, chirrup

2)

a) (fam) (confesar) to talk (colloq)

b) (Jueg) to declare

c) (anunciar, pregonar)

las cifras cantan — the figures speak for themselves

3) (Esp fam) (apestar) to stink (colloq)

II

masculino poem (gen set to music)

eso es otro cantar! — that's another matter, that's a different kettle of fish

- cantar de gesta

* * *

= chant, sing.

Nota: Verbo irregular: pasado sang, participio sung.

Ex. Finally, add the mass confusion wrought by the sudden appearance of a new technology in the library, with its practitioners chanting acronymic prayers, seemingly derived from a mushroom ritual.

Ex. It is hoped that by the year 2000 there will not be a chorus of unemployed librarians singing 'Where have all the libraries gone?'.

----

* cantar a grito pelado = belt out.

* cantar a pleno pulmón = belt out.

* cantar las alabanzas = sing + Posesivo + praises.

* cantarlas claras = call + a spade a spade.

* cantar victoria = claim + victory, speak too soon.

* cantar victoria antes de tiempo = speak too soon.

* coser y cantar = plain sailing, walkover.

* no cantes victoria antes de tiempo = don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

* ser otro cantar = be a different kettle of fish.

* tan fácil como coser y cantar = as simple as ABC.

* * *

I 1.

verbo transitivo

1)

a) <canción> to sing

cantárselas claras a alguien — (fam)

se las canté claras — I gave it to her o told her straight (colloq)

b) (en béisbol) to call

2) (liter) (ensalzar) to sing the praises of, extol the virtues of

el tan cantado mar — the oft-praised sea (liter)

3) (RPl fam) (pedirse)

canto la cama de arriba — bags I o bags the top bunk (colloq)

2.

cantar vi

1)

a) (Mús) to sing

habla cantando — she has a singsong voice

b) pájaro to sing; gallo to crow; cigarra/grillo to chirp, chirrup

2)

a) (fam) (confesar) to talk (colloq)

b) (Jueg) to declare

c) (anunciar, pregonar)

las cifras cantan — the figures speak for themselves

3) (Esp fam) (apestar) to stink (colloq)

II

masculino poem (gen set to music)

eso es otro cantar! — that's another matter, that's a different kettle of fish

- cantar de gesta

* * *

= chant, sing.

Nota: Verbo irregular: pasado sang, participio sung.

Ex: Finally, add the mass confusion wrought by the sudden appearance of a new technology in the library, with its practitioners chanting acronymic prayers, seemingly derived from a mushroom ritual.

Ex: It is hoped that by the year 2000 there will not be a chorus of unemployed librarians singing 'Where have all the libraries gone?'.

* cantar a grito pelado = belt out.

* cantar a pleno pulmón = belt out.

* cantar las alabanzas = sing + Posesivo + praises.

* cantarlas claras = call + a spade a spade.

* cantar victoria = claim + victory, speak too soon.

* cantar victoria antes de tiempo = speak too soon.

* coser y cantar = plain sailing, walkover.

* no cantes victoria antes de tiempo = don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

* ser otro cantar = be a different kettle of fish.

* tan fácil como coser y cantar = as simple as ABC.

* * *

cantar¹ [A1 ]

vt

A

1 ‹canción› to sing

2

(anunciar, pregonar): los niños cantaban las tablas de multiplicar the children were reciting o chanting their times tables

cántame las cifras read o shout the figures out to me (colloq)

3 (en béisbol) to call

B (liter) (ensalzar) to sing the praises of, extol the virtues of

el tan cantado mar the oft-praised sea (liter)

C (fam) (delatar, descubrir) to give away

D (RPl fam) (avisar) to tell

¿te dejó plantada? — te lo canté he stood you up? — what did I tell you? o I warned you

el Cantar de los Cantares the Song of Songs o of Solomon

el Cantar del Mío Cid the ballad of El Cid

cantárselas claras a algn (fam): se las canté claras I gave it to her o told her straight (colloq)

E

(RPl fam) (pedirse): canto la cama de arriba bags I o bags the top bunk (colloq)

■ cantar

vi

A

1 (Mús) to sing

habla cantando she has a singsong voice o a lilt in her voice

coser

2 «pájaro» to sing; «gallo» to crow; «cigarra/grillo» to chirp, chirrup gallo² (↑ gallo (2))

3 «agua/fuente» to babble

B

1 (fam) (confesar) to talk (colloq)

2 (Jueg) to declare

3

(anunciar, pregonar): canta, que yo anoto read it out, I'll write it down

las cifras cantan por sí solas the figures speak for themselves

C (Esp fam) (apestar) to stink (colloq)

cantar²

masculine

poem (gen set to music)

¡eso es otro cantar! that's another o a different matter, that's a different kettle of fish

Compuesto:

cantar de gesta

chanson de geste

* * *

 

cantar (conjugate cantar) verbo transitivo ‹canción› to sing
verbo intransitivo
1

a) (Mús) to sing

b) [pájaro] to sing;

[gallo] to crow;
[cigarra/grillo] to chirp, chirrup
2 (fam) (confesar) to talk (colloq)
■ sustantivo masculino
poem (gen set to music)
cantar 1 verbo transitivo & verbo intransitivo
1 Mús to sing: me gusta cantar, I like singing
2 familiar (tener mal olor) to stink
3 (llamar la atención) to attract attention
4 familiar (saltar a la vista, ser evidente) to be clear
5 argot (confesar) to sing, spill the beans
♦ Locuciones: cantarle a alguien las cuarenta, to give sb a good telling off
en menos que canta un gallo, in a flash
cantar 2 sustantivo masculino
1 song, chant
2 Lit poem
un cantar de gesta, an epic poem
♦ Locuciones: familiar ser algo otro cantar, to be a totally different thing
'cantar' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
berrear
- cante
- canto
- coger
- coser
- dar
- desgarrada
- desgarrado
- determinada
- determinado
- embargar
- infinitud
- misa
- permitirse
- victoria
- bajo
- bien
- coro
- estupendo
- lindo
- mal
- público
English:
also
- as
- belt out
- burst into
- chant
- crow
- gurgle
- horn
- hum
- innate
- sailing
- sharp
- sing
- sing along
- sing out
- sing up
- singing
- song
- soon
- teach
- away
- burst
- harmonize
- perform
- squeal
- to
- yodel

* * *

cantar¹ nm

poem;

Comp

Fam

eso es otro cantar that's another story

Comp

el Cantar de los Cantares [en la Biblia] the Song of Songs;

cantar de gesta chanson de geste, = medieval heroic narrative poem (e.g. “El Cid”)

cantar²

♦ vt

1. [canción] to sing

2. [bingo, línea, el gordo] to call (out);

cántame los números y yo los escribo you call out the numbers and I'll write them down;

RP Fam

te canté que tu madre no te dejaría ir I TOLD you your mother wouldn't let you go;

Comp

Fam

cantar las cuarenta a alguien to give sb a piece of one's mind;

Comp

RP Fam

cantar la justa a alguien to give it to sb straight up;

Comp

cantar victoria to claim victory

3. Fam [confesar] to confess

4. [alabar] to praise;

no se cansa de cantar la belleza del lugar he never tires of singing the praises of the beauty of the place

♦ vi

1. [persona] to sing

2. [ave] to sing;

[gallo] to crow; [insecto] to chirp

3. Fam [confesar] to confess, to talk;

Comp

cantar de plano to make a full confession

4. Esp Fam [apestar] to stink;

le cantan los pies he has smelly feet

5. Esp Fam [llamar la atención] to stick out like a sore thumb;

ese traje rojo canta mucho that red suit really draws attention to you;

canta un montón que estás nervioso it's really obvious that you're nervous;

Carlos y yo cantábamos en una fiesta tan elegante Carlos and I really stood out at that posh party

6. Esp Fam [portero]

les metieron un gol porque el portero cantó they conceded a goal because the goalkeeper blundered

7. [alabar]

cantar a to sing the praises of

8. Am Fam [escoger]

¡canté primero para la ducha! Br bags I get the first shower!, US dibs on the first shower!

* * *

cantar

I v/i

1 sing

2 pop

de delincuente squeal pop

II v/t sing

III m

:

ése es otro cantar fig fam that’s a different story

* * *

cantar v

: to sing

cantar nm

: song, ballad

* * *

cantar vb

1. (en general) to sing [pt. sang; pp. sung]

el ruiseñor canta maravillosamente the nightingale sings beautifully

cantó una nana she sang a lullaby

2. (insecto, pájaro pequeño) to chirp

la cigarra cantaba the cicada was chirping away

3. (llamar la atención) to stand out [pt. & pp. stood]

el sofá amarillo canta mucho the yellow sofa really stands out

4. (oler mal) to stink [pt. stank; pp. stunk]

le cantan los pies his feet stink