cuadrar

to square

verb kwah-DRAHR Rare

Origin: Latin quadrare (to make square), from quadrus (square)

Also means

to add up

Usage Note

Cuadrar literally means to square or fit a shape, but its most common modern use is figurative: no me cuadra means 'it doesn't add up' or 'something feels off' — an idiomatic way to express doubt or suspicion about a story or plan. In accounting, cuadrar las cuentas means to balance the books. In some Latin American varieties it also means to park a vehicle.

Examples

"Las cifras no cuadran con el informe."

Natural Translation

The figures don't add up with the report.

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