explicar

v.

1 to explain.

¿te importaría explicarme qué pasa? would you mind telling me o explaining what's going on?

explícame cómo funciona tell me how it works

Ella explicó el motivo She explained the motive.

2 to teach, to lecture in.

3 to explain to, to explain, to clear up, to make it clear for.

Elsa le explicó a su hijo Elsa explained to her son.

4 to account for.

Ellos explicaron el desastre They accounted for the disaster.

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explicar

Conjugation model [SACAR], like {{link=sacar}}sacar

► verbo transitivo

1 (gen) to explain, expound, tell

■ ¿puedes explicar cómo desmontarlo? can you explain how to dismantle it?

■ explícame por qué no viniste tell me why you didn't come

2 (justificar) to justify

■ no pudo explicar su presencia he couldn't justify his presence

► verbo pronominal explicarse

1 (expresarse) to explain oneself, make oneself understood, make oneself clear

2 (comprender) to understand, make out

■ no me lo explico I can't understand it

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

¿me explico? do you understand?

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verb

to explain

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1. VT

1) (=exponer) [+ motivo, tema, cuestión, problema] to explain; [+ teoría] to expound

2) (Escol) [+ materia] to lecture in; [+ curso] to teach; [+ clase] to give, deliver frm

2.

See:

explicarse

EXPLICAR ► Cuando explicar lleva objeto directo e indirecto, el orden en inglés es normalmente explain + ((objeto directo)) + to + ((objeto indirecto)): ¿Puedes explicarme eso? Can you explain that to me? Ya se lo he explicado a mi familia I've already explained it to my family Os explicaré la situación I will explain the situation to you ► Sin embargo, si el objeto directo es una construcción más compleja, en inglés se sigue el mismo orden que en español, sin olvidar el uso de la preposición to: ¿Puedes explicarme por qué no viniste ni llamaste ayer? Can you explain to me why you didn't come or phone yesterday? Para otros usos y ejemplos ver la entrada

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1.

verbo transitivo to explain

no sé explicarlo — I don't know how to explain it

2.

explicarse v pron

a) (comprender, concebir) to understand

no me lo explico — I can't understand it o (colloq) I just don't get it

b) (hacerse comprender) to express oneself

se explica muy bien — he expresses himself very well

explícate — explain what you mean

¿me explico? — is that clear? o do you understand what I mean?

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= account for, explain, present + discussion, set out, spell out, explicate, expound (on), set forth.

Ex. The major four categories of physical forms outlined so far account for most of the published indexes and catalogues.

Ex. This may help explain why many working in this field fail to practise what they preach.

Ex. This article presents a detailed discussion of the use of Hypermedia for authoring, organisation and presentation of information.

Ex. These complications were not hidden or implicit; they were clearly set out at the beginning of the volume under 'Rules for the Compilation of the Catalog'.

Ex. Certain obligations of public and university libraries and publicly supported library networks often are also spelled out in statutory form.

Ex. Sometime around the turn of the century the American library community decided against continuing its analysis of the periodical literature that we find so well explicated in the printed catalogs of Enoch Pratt and other major libraries at that time.

Ex. The philosophy of building CD-ROM data bases with files with common subject interests is expounded with reference to the OSH-ROM, CHEM-BANK and CANCER-CD data bases.

Ex. She sets forth some of the conditions which may have led to this situation in the hope that it may bring about further study.

----

* encontrar difícil de explicar = be hard put to explain.

* explicar Algo a Alguien = interpret + Algo + to + Alguien.

* explicar cómo = give + instructions for.

* explicar en detalle = explain + at length.

* explicar largamente = dwell on/upon.

* explicar la situación = explain + the situation.

* explicar las razones de = set out + the reasons for.

* explicar + Posesivo + versión del incidente = explain + Posesivo + side of the incident.

* explicar + Posesivo + versión de los hechos = explain + Posesivo + side of the story.

* explicarse = puzzle out.

* explicar una noción = put across + conception.

* explicar un Tema con más detalle = expand upon/on + Tema.

* no saber cómo explicarlo = be at a loss to explain it.

* que se explica por sí mismo = self-explanatory [self explanatory/selfexplanatory].

* sin explicar = unexplained.

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1.

verbo transitivo to explain

no sé explicarlo — I don't know how to explain it

2.

explicarse v pron

a) (comprender, concebir) to understand

no me lo explico — I can't understand it o (colloq) I just don't get it

b) (hacerse comprender) to express oneself

se explica muy bien — he expresses himself very well

explícate — explain what you mean

¿me explico? — is that clear? o do you understand what I mean?

* * *

= account for, explain, present + discussion, set out, spell out, explicate, expound (on), set forth.

Ex: The major four categories of physical forms outlined so far account for most of the published indexes and catalogues.

Ex: This may help explain why many working in this field fail to practise what they preach.

Ex: This article presents a detailed discussion of the use of Hypermedia for authoring, organisation and presentation of information.

Ex: These complications were not hidden or implicit; they were clearly set out at the beginning of the volume under 'Rules for the Compilation of the Catalog'.

Ex: Certain obligations of public and university libraries and publicly supported library networks often are also spelled out in statutory form.

Ex: Sometime around the turn of the century the American library community decided against continuing its analysis of the periodical literature that we find so well explicated in the printed catalogs of Enoch Pratt and other major libraries at that time.

Ex: The philosophy of building CD-ROM data bases with files with common subject interests is expounded with reference to the OSH-ROM, CHEM-BANK and CANCER-CD data bases.

Ex: She sets forth some of the conditions which may have led to this situation in the hope that it may bring about further study.

* encontrar difícil de explicar = be hard put to explain.

* explicar Algo a Alguien = interpret + Algo + to + Alguien.

* explicar cómo = give + instructions for.

* explicar en detalle = explain + at length.

* explicar largamente = dwell on/upon.

* explicar la situación = explain + the situation.

* explicar las razones de = set out + the reasons for.

* explicar + Posesivo + versión del incidente = explain + Posesivo + side of the incident.

* explicar + Posesivo + versión de los hechos = explain + Posesivo + side of the story.

* explicarse = puzzle out.

* explicar una noción = put across + conception.

* explicar un Tema con más detalle = expand upon/on + Tema.

* no saber cómo explicarlo = be at a loss to explain it.

* que se explica por sí mismo = self-explanatory [self explanatory/selfexplanatory].

* sin explicar = unexplained.

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explicar [A2 ]

vt

to explain

¿nos puedes explicar en qué consiste el juego? can you explain to us o show us how to play the game?

¿nos vas a explicar por qué llegaste tan tarde? are you going to explain why o give us an explanation as to why you were so late?

no sé explicarlo I don't know how to express o explain it

■ explicarse

v pron

1 (comprender, concebir) to understand

no me explico cómo pudo suceder una cosa así I don't understand o I can't make out how something like this could have happened

no me lo explico, si estaba aquí hace un momento I can't understand it o (colloq) I just don't get it, she was here a moment ago

2

(hacerse comprender): se explica muy bien he expresses himself very well

espero haberme explicado con toda claridad I hope I have made myself quite clear

no sé lo que quieres decir, explícate I don't know what you're trying to say, explain what you mean

¿me explico? is that clear? o do you understand what I mean?

no sabe explicarse he isn't very good at expressing himself o putting his ideas across o explaining things

se explicó diciendo que él creía que caducaba mañana he explained it (away) by saying that he thought it expired tomorrow

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explicar (conjugate explicar) verbo transitivo
to explain;

◊ no sé explicarlo I don't know how to explain it

explicarse verbo pronominal

a) (comprender, concebir) to understand;

◊ no me lo explico I can't understand it o (colloq) I just don't get it

b) (hacerse comprender) to express oneself;

◊ explícate explain what you mean;

¿me explico? do you understand what I mean?
explicar verbo transitivo to explain
'explicar' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
difícil
- repasar
- traducir
- llanamente
- minucia
English:
account for
- concoct
- die out
- elaborate
- explain
- for
- set-up
- show
- so
- spell out
- study
- account
- detail
- spell

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explicar

♦ vt

1. [exponer, contar] to explain;

[teoría] to expound;

explícame cómo funciona tell me how it works;

¿te importaría explicarme qué pasa? would you mind telling me o explaining what's going on?;

es una sensación rara, no lo puedo explicar it's a strange feeling, I can't explain it

2. [enseñar] to teach, to lecture in

♦ See also the pronominal verb explicarse

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explicar

v/t explain

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explicar {72} vt

: to explain

♦ See also the reflexive verb explicarse

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explicar vb to explain / to tell [pt. & pp. told]

explícanos qué ha pasado explain what happened / tell us what happened

me lo explicó de nuevo he explained it to me again