congelar
to freeze
To freeze something, literally or figuratively
Encoding Strategies:
linguistic
congeal
to go solid
+
-ar
verb suffix
Congelar means to freeze and is a cognate of the English word congeal0. When something congeals, it cools and goes solid, as if it's freezing.
congelar
to freeze
To freeze something, like water or food.
Voy a congelar la mitad de la sopa para la próxima semanaI'm going to freeze half the soup for next week
El frío congeló las tuberías de la casaThe cold froze the house's pipes
to freeze (prices, funds)
Frozen money can't move: prices, salaries, or accounts are locked in place.
El gobierno congeló los precios del alquiler por dos añosThe government froze rent prices for two years
El banco congeló la cuenta durante la investigaciónThe bank froze the account during the investigation
to freeze, to put on hold (a process, an image)
Anything in motion can be frozen mid-step: a project, negotiations, or a video frame.
La empresa congeló el proyecto hasta conseguir más fondosThe company froze the project until it could get more funding
Congelaron las negociaciones después del desacuerdoThey put the negotiations on hold after the disagreement
congelarse
to freeze
When something freezes itself, like the lake freezing over on its own.
El lago se congela cada inviernoThe lake freezes every winter
Se congeló el agua que dejamos afueraThe water we left outside froze
to be freezing (colloquial)
The reflexive turns the freezing on you: when you're very cold, you're the one freezing.
¡Cierra la puerta, que me estoy congelando!Close the door, I'm freezing!
Nos congelamos esperando el autobúsWe froze waiting for the bus
to get frostbite (medical)
When a body part freezes itself on someone, that's frostbite.
Al montañista se le congelaron dos dedos en la cumbreThe mountain climber got frostbite on two fingers at the summit
Si no llevas guantes, se te van a congelar las manosIf you don't wear gloves, your hands are going to get frostbite