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atasco

traffic jam

noun ah-TAHS-koh Rare
Travel & Places Transportation

Also means

blockage

Usage Note

Atasco is the standard word for a traffic jam in Spain; Latin American speakers often prefer embotellamiento or trancón (Colombia). It also applies to any kind of clog or blockage, such as a drain: un atasco en la cañería.

Examples

"Hay un atasco enorme en la autopista."

Natural Translation

There is a huge traffic jam on the motorway.

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