ordeñar la vaca
Lemma Details
Translation: to milk the cow
Part of Speech: phrase
Etymology: This phrase combines 'ordeñar' (to milk) from Latin 'ordināre' meaning 'to put in order, arrange' which evolved to refer to the methodical extraction of milk, with 'vaca' (cow) from Latin 'vacca'. The verb 'ordeñar' specifically refers to the action of extracting milk from mammals by hand or machine.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'order' in 'ordeñar' as putting milk in order by extracting it from the cow
- Visualize the rhythmic, orderly motion of milking a cow to remember 'ordeñar'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
This phrase is common in rural and agricultural contexts in Spanish-speaking countries. In many Latin American countries, small-scale dairy farming remains an important part of rural life, and the act of milking cows is a daily routine for many families.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Ordeñar' (to milk) sounds similar to 'ordenar' (to order/tidy), but they have completely different meanings. 'Ordeñar' specifically refers to extracting milk, while 'ordenar' means to put things in order or to command.
This word:
El granjero ordeña la vaca para obtener leche fresca.
The farmer milks the cow to get fresh milk.
Confused word:
La madre ordena la casa antes de que lleguen las visitas.
The mother tidies the house before visitors arrive.
Notes: The confusion often happens because both words share the same Latin root 'ordināre', but evolved to have different meanings in modern Spanish.
Mnemonic: Remember: ordeñar has the 'ñ' which you can think of as the 'milk letter' since it looks like milk dripping down.