It’s that time of the week when we line up two similar-looking Spanish nouns with different genders, endings and meanings, look at their commonest senses, and see how their differences play out. Bring on partido (masculine) and partida (feminine).
Starting with partido (masculine) you can listen to how it’s pronounced here:
In politics un partido is a group that embodies a cause or a set of policies and opinions and seeks to hold office in government – a party:
una lista de todos los candidatos de cada partido político
a list of all the candidates for each political party
Un partido is also a sporting encounter between two people or teams – a game or match:
partidos ganados/partidos perdidos
games won/games lost
el primer partido de baloncesto televisado
the first televised basketball game or match
Entre los dos equipos jugó más de cien partidos.
Between the two teams he played over one hundred games or matches.
In some countries, un partido is a district or an administrative area with a main town:
Formaba parte de la comarca de Cuadrilla de Amaya en el partido de Villadiego.
It was part of the Cuadrilla de Amaya area in the Villadiego district.
In the worlds of romance and matchmaking, un buen partido and un mal partido are used to talk about a man considered to be a good match or catch or else a bad match:
Trata de convencer a su hija de que acepte a don Alejo, a quien considera un buen partido.
She tries to persuade her daughter to accept Don Alejo, whom she considers a good match.
You’ll find partido used in the expression sacar partido de (to make the most of) too.
Con el fin de sacar el máximo partido a esta situación…
With the aim of making the most of or getting the best out of this situation…
Turning to partida (feminine) you can hear how it is pronounced here:
In the context of cards or chess una partida can be also be a game – an encounter between players, ending with winners and losers:
Para empezar la partida, se reparte a cada jugador una mano de cinco cartas.
To begin the game, each player is dealt a hand of five cards.
Las reinas son las piezas más fuertes de una partida de ajedrez.
The queens are the most powerful pieces in a game of chess.
Linked to partir (to depart), la partida can be the act of leaving somewhere, perhaps to embark on a journey – the departure:
En 1979 volvió a Mozambique por primera vez desde su partida.
In 1979 he returned to Mozambique for the first time since he left or since his departure.
Una partida may be an entry in a register, as well as a certified copy of it – a certificate:
En la iglesia de San Andrés se encontró la partida de defunción con fecha 10 de enero de 1706.
The entry recording his death was found at the church of San Andrés, dated 10 January 1706.
Presentó su partida de nacimiento.
She presented her birth certificate.
In bookkeeping, una partida can be an entry in the accounts or a specific item listed in them:
un análisis de las partidas de ingresos y gastos
a breakdown of the entries for income and expenditure
la mayor partida del presupuesto de gastos
the biggest item on the expense budget
Una partida can be a consignment of goods too:
Allí consiguieron una partida inicial de armas.
There they obtained an initial consignment of weapons.
la recepción de una partida de mármol
receipt of a consignment of marble
Una partida can be a group of people.
If referring to soldiers or rebels, it’s likely to be a band or group:
Capitaneando una partida de 120 hombres, consiguió la rendición de Olot.
With a group of 120 men under his command, he brought about the surrender of Olot.
If referring to people who have come together to do something, una partida is probably a party:
Mientras se hallaba en una partida de caza de ciervos, recibió el impacto accidental de una flecha en su pecho.
While taking part in a deer hunting party, he was accidentally hit in the chest by an arrow.
To join us again as we consider the uses of some more similar-looking Spanish words, come back next week.
