Spanish Word of the Week: The Dual Meanings of 'Corte

In Spanish, some nouns change their gender and meaning depending on the context. This week, we focus on corte, a versatile word that can be either masculine or feminine. Understanding its different uses will add depth and precision to your Spanish vocabulary.

---

Feminine: Una corte

When corte is feminine, it typically refers to:

1. A Royal Court

   • Conserva alguna influencia en la corte.
     (She still has some influence at court.)

2. A Court of Law

   • La Corte advirtió que no se puede establecer una diferenciación salarial en virtud del sexo.
     (The Court advised that gender cannot be used as the basis for pay differentiation.)

3. The Spanish Parliament (Plural Form)
   In its plural form, las Cortes refers to the Spanish parliament.

   • la restauración de las Cortes españolas en 1810
     (the restoration of the Spanish parliament in 1810)

---

Masculine: Un corte

When corte is masculine, it relates to cutting or interruptions.

1. A Physical Cut

   • Me he hecho un corte bastante grande en la mano.
     (I’ve given myself quite a bad cut on the hand.)
   • El corte estaba hecho con el mismo cuchillo que se halló en manos del acusado.
     (The cut had been made with the very knife found in the possession of the accused.)

2. Hairstyles

   • Ahora luce un nuevo corte de pelo.
     (He’s now sporting a new haircut.)

3. Tailoring and Dressmaking

   • Los shorts tienen un corte elegante y moderno.
     (The cut or style of the shorts is elegant and modern.)
   • un corte de tela barata
     (a length of cheap fabric)

4. Service Interruptions
   Corte can refer to disruptions in utilities or services.

   • En algunas zonas, se registraron cortes intermitentes del servicio de energía eléctrica y de las líneas telefónicas.
     (In some areas, there were intermittent power cuts and telephone line failures.)
   • Persisten los cortes de suministro de agua a la población.
     (The population is still experiencing water cut-offs.)

5. Tracks on a Record

   • uno de los cortes del disco
     (one of the tracks on the record)

---

Did You Know?

The famous Spanish department store El Corte Inglés traces its origins back to a Madrid tailor shop in 1890. Its name, meaning “the English cut,” refers to the elegant and refined style of suits it originally offered.

---

Whether discussing a royal court, a stylish haircut, or a sudden power outage, corte proves to be a word full of versatility. Come back next week to uncover more Spanish nouns that change meaning with their gender!