What does cosa in Spanish mean?

What is the meaning of the word cosa in Spanish? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use cosa in Spanish.

The word cosa in Spanish means thing, thing, things, sew, suture, sew up, how are things? how's life?, it's time to move on, on the quiet, on the sly, just like that, as if nothing had happened, thing kids come up with, kids' stuff, child's play, thing of the past, res judicata, movable or consumable item, anything, feel funny, feel strange, feel weird, upset, give the creeps, give anything for, what with one thing and another, it must be, be no big deal, be nothing to write home about, be no small thing, be no mean feat, you learn something new every day, it would be a different matter entirely, another thing would be, nothing, for one thing or another, prefer one thing to another, prefer one thing over another, what's that?, how strange!, be a two-way matter, be water under the bridge, be trivial, be insignificant, if things take a turn for the worse, it's outrageous!, this is outrageous!, a place for everything and everything in its place, a place for everything, there's a time and place for everything, one thing leads to another, one thing doesn't diminish the other, I'm not much, I do my best. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word cosa

thing

nombre femenino (objeto)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Trajo un montón de cosas de su viaje al extranjero y las repartió entre sus amigos.
She brought a load of things back from her trip abroad and shared them out among her friends.

thing

nombre femenino (hecho)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
He visto cada cosa tan rara en mi vida que ya nada me sorprende.
I have seen every rare thing in my life and nothing would surprise me.

things

nombre femenino (situación) (colloquial)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")
Cuando estalló la huelga en la fábrica, la cosa se puso fea.
When the strike erupted at the factory, things got ugly.

sew

verbo transitivo (unir con hilo)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Cose el vestido, que está roto.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. You can make a very basic shirt just by sewing two pieces of fabric together.

suture, sew up

verbo transitivo (herida: suturar) (wound)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
El médico cosió la herida con tres puntos de sutura.
The doctor sewed up the wound with three stitches.

how are things? how's life?

expresión (¿cómo está el asunto?)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

it's time to move on

expresión (olvidar, dejar atrás)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Ese tema ya quedó atrás: a otra cosa, mariposa.

on the quiet, on the sly

locución adverbial (coloquial (con disimulo)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")
El tipo entró en la reunión, y como quien no quiere la cosa, se comió todo lo que encontró.
The guy came into the reunion and ate everything he could find on the quiet.

just like that, as if nothing had happened

locución adverbial (impasible, indiferente)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

thing kids come up with

locución nominal femenina (gen pl (chiquillada) (childish idea)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
La mejor amiga de María era Elenita, y hoy es Claudia. Cosas de niños.

kids' stuff

locución nominal femenina (gen pl (no para adultos) (informal: for children)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
No le gustan las videoconsolas, dice que son cosas de niños.

child's play

locución nominal femenina (algo muy fácil)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Editar ese trabajo será cosa de niños; no te preocupes.

thing of the past

locución nominal femenina (asunto olvidado)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
La relación con Pedro es para María una cosa del pasado.
For Maria, her relationship with Pedro is a thing of the past.

res judicata

(Derecho: sentencia firme) (Latin)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
El juez se basó en el principio de la cosa juzgada para tomar una decisión.
The judge based his decision on the res judicata principle.

movable or consumable item

(der: trasladable, consumible o no)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

anything

locución pronominal (lo que sea)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Hay personas que harían cualquier cosa por dinero.
There are people who would do anything for money.

feel funny, feel strange, feel weird

locución verbal (coloquial (causar asco)

Me da cosa meter la mano en la tierra.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. Hearing chalk on a blackboard makes me feel funny.

upset

locución verbal (coloquial (causar pena)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Me da cosa ver a María siempre tan triste.
It upsets me to always see Maria so sad.

give the creeps

locución verbal (coloquial (causar miedo)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
A Juan le da cosa dormir con la luz apagada.
Sleeping with the light off gives Juan the creeps.

give anything for

expresión (sacrificar)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

what with one thing and another

expresión (coloquial (cosas indeterminadas) (many factors)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Entre una cosa y otra, se nos fue la semana y no avanzamos nada con el proyecto.

it must be

expresión (tiempo transcurrido)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Hará cosa de un mes que fui a la playa.

be no big deal

locución verbal (informal (no ser de importancia) (colloquial)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Los inconvenientes que encontramos no eran gran cosa y logramos llevar a cabo el proyecto.
The obstacles we came across were no big deal and we managed to see the project through.

be nothing to write home about

locución verbal (informal (no ser extraordinario) (colloquial)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
El hotel era bueno, pero la comida no era la gran cosa.
The hotel was good, but the food was nothing to write home about.

be no small thing, be no mean feat

locución verbal (informal (ser considerable)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Estos resultados no son poca cosa si se toma en cuenta la actual situación económica del país.
These results are no mean feat: especially in light of the current economic downturn.

you learn something new every day

expresión (siempre se aprende algo)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

it would be a different matter entirely

expresión (expresa hipótesis)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Si lo pidieran con educación, otra cosa sería.

another thing would be

expresión (expresa hipótesis)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Otra cosa sería que nos hiciera falta más personal.

nothing

locución nominal femenina (informal (cosa sin importancia)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Mi tío es un hombre amargado y se enfurece por poca cosa.

for one thing or another

expresión (por cosas sin definir)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

prefer one thing to another, prefer one thing over another

locución verbal (tener preferencia por)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Prefiero el chocolate a la crema.
I prefer chocolate to cream.

what's that?

expresión (coloquial (preguntar, aclarar)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
¿Qué cosa?, ¿hay novedades?
What's that? Is there news?

how strange!

locución interjectiva (asombro, sorpresa)

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")
¿Granizó en el desierto? ¡Qué cosa!
It hailed in the desert? How bizarre!

be a two-way matter

locución verbal (informal (ser decisión conjunta)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
En la vida en pareja, todas las decisiones son cosa de dos.
In a relationship, all decisions are two-way matters.

be water under the bridge

locución verbal (informal (perder importancia)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Esa pelea que tuvimos es cosa del pasado.
The fight we had is water under the bridge.

be trivial, be insignificant

locución verbal (informal (no tener importancia)

Estos porcentajes son poca cosa comparados con los del trimestre pasado.
These percentages are nothing compared to last quarter.

if things take a turn for the worse

locución conjuntiva (coloquial (si la situación se pone fea)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

it's outrageous!, this is outrageous!

locución interjectiva (expresa hartazgo)

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")
¡Tiene narices la cosa! Ahora dice que la obligación de hacer el trabajo es mía.
This is outrageous (or: It's outrageous)! Now he says that it's my responsibility to do the work.

a place for everything and everything in its place

expresión (el orden es importante)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

a place for everything

expresión (pide orden)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

there's a time and place for everything

expresión (figurado (respetar contextos)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

one thing leads to another

expresión (indica consecuencia)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Una cosa lleva a la otra, y cuando ves, ya estás metida en problemas.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. We were just talking, but one thing lead to another, and now we are in business together.

one thing doesn't diminish the other

expresión (no son opuestos)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Puedes ser firme y amable, una cosa no quita la otra.
You can be firm and friendly; one thing doesn't diminish the other.

I'm not much

expresión (para mostrar modestia)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

I do my best

expresión (para buscar elogios)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

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Spanish (español), also known as Castilla, is a language of the Iberian-Romance group of the Romance languages, and the 4th most common language in the world according to Some sources, while others list it as a 2nd or 3rd most common language. It is the mother tongue of about 352 million people, and is spoken by 417 million people when adding its speakers as a language. sub (estimated in 1999). Spanish and Portuguese have very similar grammar and vocabulary; The number of similar vocabulary of these two languages is up to 89%. Spanish is the primary language of 20 countries around the world. It is estimated that the total number of speakers of Spanish is between 470 and 500 million, making it the second most widely spoken language in the world by number of native speakers.