Today’s Spanish word of the day is “zurdo”. It’s an adjective meaning “left-handed”.
It can also be translated simply as “left” in contexts related to the hands.
It’s thought the word is related to the Basque word “zurrun”, which means inflexible, suggesting that left-handedness was (unfairly) associated with clumsiness in the past.
This contrasts with the word “diestro”, meaning “right-handed”, which is related to the English word “dexterity”.
Example Sentences
Beginner
Here are some example sentences at beginner (A1/A2) level:
¿Eres zurdo o diestro?
Are you left-handed or right-handed?
Mi amigo es zurdo.
My friend is left-handed.
El niño escribe con la mano zurda.
The boy writes with his left hand.
Intermediate
Here are some example sentences at intermediate (B1/B2) level:
Mi abuelo siempre me decía que los zurdos son más creativos.
My grandfather always told me that left-handed people are more creative.
Cuando era niño, mi maestra intentó enseñarme a escribir con la mano derecha porque pensaba que ser zurdo era malo.
When I was a child, my teacher tried to teach me to write with my right hand because she thought being left-handed was bad.
En la cultura japonesa, ser zurdo no es considerado extraño como en algunas culturas occidentales.
In Japanese culture, being left-handed is not considered strange like in some Western cultures.
Advanced
Here are some example sentences at advanced (C1/C2) level:
En el béisbol, los lanzadores zurdos son altamente valorados por su capacidad para desconcertar a los bateadores diestros con sus ángulos de lanzamiento únicos.
In baseball, left-handed pitchers are highly valued for their ability to confuse right-handed batters with their unique pitching angles.
Durante las reuniones familiares, mi hermano zurdo siempre se sienta en la esquina de la mesa para evitar chocar los codos con otros comensales.
During family gatherings, my left-handed brother always sits at the corner of the table to avoid bumping elbows with other diners.
Cuando era niño, me enseñaron a escribir con la mano derecha, pero siempre me sentí más cómodo utilizando mi mano izquierda.
When I was a child, I was taught to write with my right hand, but I always felt more comfortable using my left hand.
