Today we seem to be veering to the right as we take another pair of similar-looking Spanish words and sort out how they are used: derecha and derecho.
Let’s start with derecha (feminine), whose pronunciation you can listen to here:
When we’re giving directions, la derecha (feminine) and its opposite, la izquierda, are key, as they mean (the) right and (the) left:
Gira a la derecha y sube la avenida hasta la iglesia.
Turn right and go up the avenue as far as the church.
A la izquierda está la sala de recepción para los visitantes, mientras que a la derecha está la sala de escritura para los miembros.
On the left is the visitors’ reception room, while on the right is the members’ writing room.
en la foto de la derecha
in the photo on the right
La derecha (feminine) is often short for la mano derecha – your right hand:
Antes los profesores preferían que los niños zurdos escribieran con la derecha.
Teachers used to prefer left-handed children to write with their right hands.
El pintor tiene una paleta en la mano izquierda y un pincel en la derecha.
The painter has a palette in his left hand and a paintbrush in his right.
La derecha (feminine) is also the right politically:
Entre los comentaristas políticos ligados a la derecha política, hay división de opiniones.
Opinion is divided among political commentators with links to the political right.
La disputa no es entre izquierda y derecha sino entre la élite y el resto.
The dispute isn’t between left and right but between the elite and the rest.
estas organizaciones de extrema derecha
these far-right organizations
Turning to the masculine noun derecho, you can listen to how it’s pronounced here:
Un derecho (masculine) is a legal or moral entitlement to do something – a right:
una constitución que garantizará los derechos de los ciudadanos
a constitution that will guarantee the rights of citizens
No tienes derecho a juzgarme.
You’ve no right to judge me.
el derecho al agua, alimento y seguridad
the right to water, food and security
Pagaron 2 millones de dólares para adquirir los derechos de esta película en los Estados Unidos.
They paid 2 million dollars to buy the US rights to this film.
El derecho (masculine) is also a set of rules that are enforceable by the courts, as well as the area of knowledge concerning these – law:
Optó por estudiar derecho en la Universidad de Córdoba.
She chose to study law at the University of Cordoba.
la Facultad de Derecho
the Faculty of Law
el derecho familiar
family law
El derecho (masculine) of a fabric, poster, etc, is the side that’s meant to be seen – the right side or, if it’s an object with more than two sides, the outside:
No es exactamente igual al derecho que al revés.
It isn’t exactly the same on the right side as on the reverse.
el derecho de la prenda
the outside of the garment
Especially in the plural, los derechos are sums of money due in exchange for use of an item or service – duties or fees, depending on the context:
No pagaban los derechos de aduana por sus piedras.
They weren’t paying the customs duties on their stones.
los derechos e impuestos recaudados posteriormente
the duties and taxes collected subsequently
el día límite para pagar los derechos de inscripción
the deadline for paying the registration fees
Derecho isn’t just a noun. It can be an adjective (whose ending naturally varies to agree with the noun it describes), and it can also be an adverb.
QUESTION
Starting with the adjective, see if you can work out what it means in the following examples:
La ciudadse encuentra en la orilla derecha del río Rin.
María tiene un tatuaje en el brazo derecho.
Me ato la bota derecha primero.
Derecho = ?
ANSWER
La ciudad se encuentra en la orilla derecha del río Rin.
The city is situated on the right bank of the Rhine.
María tiene un tatuaje en el brazo derecho.
María has a tattoo on her right arm.
Me ato la bota derecha primero.
I tie my right boot first.
Derecho =right
The adjective derecho can also mean upright or straight:
el esfuerzo de mantenerse derecho
the effort of keeping upright
Parecía una planta orgullosa que siempre estaba derecha.
It seemed a proud plant that always stood straight or upright.
Poco a poco el vehículo empieza a ponerse derecho.
Little by little, the vehicle begins to right itself.
Moving on to the adverb derecho (whose ending does not change), this word describes a course that does not deviate and that goes somewhere directly. It is often equivalent to straight or straight on:
Afirmó que se había ido derecho a casa.
She said that she’d gone straight home.
Sigue derecho hasta el fin de la calle.
Go straight on to the end of the street.
Desde allí se sigue derecho por la Av. Costanera hasta calle Mitre.
From there you go straight (on) along Costanera Avenue to Mitre Street.
La compaña iba derecho a la bancarrota.
The company was heading straight for bankruptcy.
