Skip to content

torno

lathe, wheel (potter's)

noun TOHR-noh Less Common

Usage Note

Torno on its own refers to a lathe (a turning machine) or a potter's wheel. However, learners almost always encounter it in the prepositional phrase en torno a, meaning 'around' or 'concerning' (en torno a este tema = 'concerning this topic'). Alrededor de is a near synonym for spatial 'around.'

Examples

"El debate giró en torno a la economía."

Natural Translation

The debate revolved around the economy.

Literal Translation

The debate turned around the economy.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore Spanish by topic