Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
Prieto
English translation:
"blackish" or "dark".
Jan 15, 2004 20:14
21 yrs ago
6 viewers *
Spanish term
Brian Costello
Prieto
Non-PRO
Spanish to English
Other
Linguistics
Linguistics
This word is obviously related to modern Portuguese "preto" (with a circumflex over the 'e') meaning "black" but I was wondering what does it exactly mean in Spanish and is it ever used as a substitute for "black"? Portuguese once had negro for "black " and a man from Angola once told me that Negro or Nengro was still used in Portuguese for an African Black person.
Any hel with a translation is greatly appreciated. I will be voting on the basis of which answer is the most helpful. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Brian Costello
Seattle, Wa.
Any hel with a translation is greatly appreciated. I will be voting on the basis of which answer is the most helpful. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Brian Costello
Seattle, Wa.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 5 +2 | a few related meanings |
Daniel Mencher
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| 4 +16 | dark, swarthy |
Oso (X)
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| 5 +1 | Not gor grading, just to add information |
rhandler
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| 5 | definitions |
Susana Galilea
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| 3 +2 | Comment |
Amilcar
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Proposed translations
+2
11 mins
Daniel Mencher
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Native in: English 
Works in: zzz Other zzz to English, Spanish to English, English, and 8 more.
Selected
a few related meanings
"Prieto" means "blackish" or "dark".
In Latin America it can mean "swarthy".
When used in reference to women, it means "brunette".
In another sense, it can mean "mean" (i.e. a mean, miserly person).
In an even more remote sense, it can mean "tight" or "compressed".
"Un siglo prieto de historia" means "A century rich in history".
All of the meanings given above are adjectives.
Good luck!
-Dan
In Latin America it can mean "swarthy".
When used in reference to women, it means "brunette".
In another sense, it can mean "mean" (i.e. a mean, miserly person).
In an even more remote sense, it can mean "tight" or "compressed".
"Un siglo prieto de historia" means "A century rich in history".
All of the meanings given above are adjectives.
Good luck!
-Dan
Reference:
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Dear Dan,
Thanks for your answer. The other people gave answers that were satisfactory but you gave more the range of answers I was looking for.
Sincerely,
Brian Costello"
+16
3 mins
dark, swarthy
Hola Brian,
En México usamos la palabra "prieto" como sinónimo de "piel morena".
Buena suerte y saludos del Oso ¶:^)
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Note added at 2004-01-15 20:21:28 (GMT)
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Source: The Collins Concise Spanish Dictionary © 2002 HarperCollins Publishers:
swarthy adjective (compar swarthier; superl swarthiest) moreno
prieto, ta a. 1. dark, swarthy
Simon & Schuster\'s Bilingual Dictionary©
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Note added at 2004-01-15 20:27:40 (GMT)
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Hace tiempo en México fue muy famosa una cantante de música ranchera y tradicional mexicana llamada Enriqueta (Queta) Jiménez, llamada de cariño y como nombre artístico \"La Prieta Linda\", por su piel morena.
En México usamos la palabra "prieto" como sinónimo de "piel morena".
Buena suerte y saludos del Oso ¶:^)
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Note added at 2004-01-15 20:21:28 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Source: The Collins Concise Spanish Dictionary © 2002 HarperCollins Publishers:
swarthy adjective (compar swarthier; superl swarthiest) moreno
prieto, ta a. 1. dark, swarthy
Simon & Schuster\'s Bilingual Dictionary©
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Note added at 2004-01-15 20:27:40 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Hace tiempo en México fue muy famosa una cantante de música ranchera y tradicional mexicana llamada Enriqueta (Queta) Jiménez, llamada de cariño y como nombre artístico \"La Prieta Linda\", por su piel morena.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Susana Galilea
: otra cosa que aprendo :)
1 min
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Hola Susi, muchas gracias. En México diríamos más el "prietito" o "prietita" ¶:^)
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| agree |
Fernando Romero R
: Thtat´s right. In the Dominican Rep the equivalent for "prieto" is dark or swarthy
43 mins
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Hola Fher, muchas gracias y saludos cordiales ¶:^)
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| agree |
Clara Fuentes
: Así es, saludos Osito :-)
50 mins
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Muchas gracias, Clarita. Saludos con cariño a Mexiquito ¶:^)
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| agree |
Patricia Fierro, M. Sc.
52 mins
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Muchas gracias, Patricia ¶:^)
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| agree |
Rantes
53 mins
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Mil gracias y saludos, Rantes ¶:^)
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| agree |
Teresita Garcia Ruy Sanchez
1 hr
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Hola Teresita, muy agradecido ¶:^)
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| agree |
Henry Hinds
: Aval fronterizo.
1 hr
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Agradecimiento azteca, muchas gracias mi Cumpa ¶:^)
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| agree |
Patricia Baldwin
: Siempre es grato aprender algo nuevo...con el mejor maestro!!!Bravo ColOso!!
2 hrs
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Qué amable **Patri**, muy agradecido ¶:^)
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| agree |
Will Matter
2 hrs
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Muchas gracias y saludos, willmatter ¶:^)
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| agree |
Juan Jacob
: Así es, claro. Lo contrario, a aquella persona de piel blanca, se le dice güero(a) que, por extensión, es un rubio(a). Sin embargo, "prieto" es ligeramente peyorativo. Se dice más bien moreno.
3 hrs
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Hola Juan, d'accordo! Aunque con el diminutivo "prietito, prietita" suena más cariñoso que nada, ¿no crees? Gracias, paisano ¶:^)
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| agree |
T Crotogino
: This is common parlance for "dark-skinned" in the Dom. Rep.
4 hrs
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Muchas gracias por el dato y por su agree, T. ¶:^)
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| agree |
Lesley Clarke
4 hrs
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Hola Lesley, muchas gracias ¶:^)
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| agree |
x-Translator (X)
6 hrs
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Muchas gracias, Stella ¶:^)
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| agree |
Refugio
: "Nunca he visto gato prieto con sombrero y pantalon"
7 hrs
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¡Qué bonito! =^._.^= Muchas gracias, Ruth ¶:^)
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| agree |
Dominique de Izaguirre (X)
: También se dice *prieto* en Cuba. En España, no.
14 hrs
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Hola Dominique, muchas gracias por el dato y por tu agrí ¶:^)
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| agree |
Nado2002
1 day 4 hrs
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Muchas gracias, Nado ¶:^)
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4 mins
Susana Galilea
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
United States
Customized Translation Services ENG>SPA
Native in: Spanish (Variants: US, Latin American, Standard-Spain) 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish
definitions
Hi Brian, I never heard the word to mean "black", but apparently in Mexico it can mean "dark". Normally it means "tight" or "firm-bodied".
Source: The Collins Concise Spanish Dictionary © 2002 HarperCollins Publishers:
prieto adjetivo1 (= apretado)
[nudo] tight
de carnes prietas firm-bodied
2 (esp México) dark
Source: The Collins Concise Spanish Dictionary © 2002 HarperCollins Publishers:
prieto adjetivo1 (= apretado)
[nudo] tight
de carnes prietas firm-bodied
2 (esp México) dark
+1
18 mins
Not gor grading, just to add information
Here's how the DRAE (first reference)defines "prieto":
prieto, ta.
(De apretar).
1. adj. Ajustado, ceñido, estrecho, duro, denso.
2. adj. Dicho de un color: Muy oscuro y que casi no se distingue del negro.
3. adj. Mísero, escaso, codicioso.
4. adj. Cuba. Dicho de una persona: De raza negra. U. t. c. s.
5. adj. Méx. Dicho de una persona: De piel morena.
□ V.
carpintero de prieto
coco prieto
maravedí prieto
uva hebén prieta
vómito prieto
prieto, ta.
(De apretar).
1. adj. Ajustado, ceñido, estrecho, duro, denso.
2. adj. Dicho de un color: Muy oscuro y que casi no se distingue del negro.
3. adj. Mísero, escaso, codicioso.
4. adj. Cuba. Dicho de una persona: De raza negra. U. t. c. s.
5. adj. Méx. Dicho de una persona: De piel morena.
□ V.
carpintero de prieto
coco prieto
maravedí prieto
uva hebén prieta
vómito prieto
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sp-EnTranslator
: pitch, pitch, pitch black ...That's what it is (could be a person -not nice to say, though, or things)
20 hrs
|
+2
1 hr
Comment
In my experience with New World Spanish speakers of all origins, and with the space of Portuguese, prieto and preto are generally avoided in general parlance to designate Blacks. Negro still seems the preferred form for European and African Portuguese, and I believe it still is considered politically correct; elsewhere there is a strong tendency for "euphemisms", such as "crioulo" in Brazil and "moreno" among Spanish speakers. I do not know enough about scholarly usage to have an opinion.
Just a small contribution to a complex issue.
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Note added at 2004-01-15 23:14:06 (GMT)
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By the way, we still have negro for \"black\" in the Portuguese speaking space, \'tis no archaism.
In my experience with Spanish speakers, prieto is not common in conversation, and even more rarely does it mean anything that is not at least slightly nasty, or \"jiving\".
When said of people, I think the meanings \"dark\", \"swarthy\" are indeed the closest. This is denotation. The connotation is primarely: do not use if you are a nice person, perhaps even if you know exactly what you are doing.
When said of things, for instance, a dress, it really means black, the DRAE not withstanding. It is heard more often among Caribean speakers in this sense, but it is felt by them to be informal, \"not proper Spanish\", as one informant put it.
One man\'s experience.
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Note added at 2004-01-15 23:16:16 (GMT)
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I mean \"primarily\"
Just a small contribution to a complex issue.
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Note added at 2004-01-15 23:14:06 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
By the way, we still have negro for \"black\" in the Portuguese speaking space, \'tis no archaism.
In my experience with Spanish speakers, prieto is not common in conversation, and even more rarely does it mean anything that is not at least slightly nasty, or \"jiving\".
When said of people, I think the meanings \"dark\", \"swarthy\" are indeed the closest. This is denotation. The connotation is primarely: do not use if you are a nice person, perhaps even if you know exactly what you are doing.
When said of things, for instance, a dress, it really means black, the DRAE not withstanding. It is heard more often among Caribean speakers in this sense, but it is felt by them to be informal, \"not proper Spanish\", as one informant put it.
One man\'s experience.
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Note added at 2004-01-15 23:16:16 (GMT)
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I mean \"primarily\"
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Will Matter
: think "dark" or "swarthy" is a better translation in this case.
1 hr
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Thanks
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| agree |
Sp-EnTranslator
: pitch, pitch, pitch, pitchest black of all...That's what it is (could be a person -not nice to say, though, or things)
19 hrs
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Thanks
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