EXPLAINING - Translation from English into Spanish

Oxford Spanish Dictionary

English

Spanish

I. explain [Am ɪkˈspleɪn, Brit ɪkˈspleɪn, ɛkˈspleɪn] VB trans

1. explain (make understandable):

explain

explicar

to explain sth to sb

explicarle algo a alguien

she explained it to me

me lo explicó

she explained to us how it had happened/why she had done it

nos explicó cómo había pasado/por qué lo había hecho

2. explain (account for):

explain actions/absence/disappearance

explicar

how do you explain the fact that … ?

¿cómo explica el hecho de que … ?

that explains everything!

eso lo explica or aclara todo

I explained that I'd been delayed

les expliqué que me había retrasado

II. explain [Am ɪkˈspleɪn, Brit ɪkˈspleɪn, ɛkˈspleɪn] VB refl

to explain oneself

explicarse

please explain yourself more clearly

por favor explíquese más claramente

you're late, explain yourself!

explique por qué llega tarde

III. explain [Am ɪkˈspleɪn, Brit ɪkˈspleɪn, ɛkˈspleɪn] VB intr

will you explain?

¿me lo explicas?

if you'd just let me explain

al menos déjame que te explique

he's got some explaining to do

nos debe una explicación

explain away VB [Am ɪkˈspleɪn -, Brit ɪkˈspleɪn, ɛkˈspleɪn -] (v + o + adv, v + adv + o)

explain away fact/result:

explain away

encontrar una explicación convincente para

how are you going to explain that away?

¿cómo te las vas a arreglar para explicar eso?

how are you going to explain that away?

¿cómo vas a encontrar una explicación convincente para eso?

laboriously explain/write

farragosamente

laboriously explain/write

trabajosamente

vaguely explain

vagamente

vaguely explain

con imprecisión

vaguely explain

de manera imprecisa

I'll explain if you'll just hear me out

te lo explicaré si estás dispuesta a escucharme

Spanish

English

justificativo

note explaining reasons for one's absence

justificante de ausencia

note explaining reasons for one's absence

explica confusamente los conceptos

he has a confusing way of explaining ideas

lo bravo va a ser explicárselo a ella

the tricky o hard part's going to be explaining it to her

explicar

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

no sé lo que quieres decir, explícate

I don't know what you're trying to say, explain what you mean

no sabe explicarse

he isn't very good at expressing himself o putting his ideas across o explaining things

in the PONS Dictionary

English

Spanish

I. explain [ɪkˈspleɪn] VB trans

explain

explicar

to explain a text to a pupil

explicar un texto a un alumno

to explain how/what/where/why ...

explicar cómo/qué/dónde/por qué...

to explain oneself

explicarse

that explains everything!

¡eso lo aclara todo!

to explain away sth

justificar algo

II. explain [ɪkˈspleɪn] VB intr

explain

explicar

explain away VB trans

explain away

justificar

Spanish

English

explanar

to explain

explicar algo de forma escueta

to explain sth briefly

difícil de explicar

difficult to explain

¿sería Ud. tan amable de explicármelo?

would you be so kind as to explain it to me?

motivar

to explain

comentar (explicar)

to explain

especificar

to explain

exponer

to explain

in the PONS Dictionary

English

Spanish

I. explain [ɪk·ˈspleɪn] VB trans

explain

explicar

to explain how/what/where/why...

explicar cómo/qué/dónde/por qué...

to explain oneself

explicarse

that explains everything!

¡eso lo aclara todo!

II. explain [ɪk·ˈspleɪn] VB intr

explain

explicar

explain away VB trans

explain away

justificar

Spanish

English

explicar algo de forma escueta

to explain sth briefly

demostrar

to explain

motivar

to explain

explanar

to explain

difícil de explicar

difficult to explain

¿sería Ud. tan amable de explicármelo?

would you be so kind as to explain it to me?

comentar (explicar)

to explain

especificar

to explain

Present

I	explain
you	explain
he/she/it	explains
we	explain
you	explain
they	explain

Past

I	explained
you	explained
he/she/it	explained
we	explained
you	explained
they	explained

Present Perfect

I	have	explained
you	have	explained
he/she/it	has	explained
we	have	explained
you	have	explained
they	have	explained

Past Perfect

I	had	explained
you	had	explained
he/she/it	had	explained
we	had	explained
you	had	explained
they	had	explained