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blank and Spanish blanco
In English
blank
empty / unfilled
In Spanish
blanco
color
Spanish "blanco" means: white
Why they get mixed up "Blank" and Spanish "blanco" share a Germanic root meaning "bright, unmarked." Spanish kept the sense of the color. English "blank" specialized into empty or unfilled, like a blank space on a form.
If you want to say...
- blanken blanco o vacío
- whiteblanco (color)
- go blankquedarse en blanco
Examples
Leave the answer blank.
Deja la respuesta en blanco.
My mind went blank.
Me quedé en blanco.
Please fill in the blank with the correct word.
Rellena el espacio con la palabra correcta.
I stared at the blank page for an hour.
Miré la página en blanco durante una hora.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Dejé la página blanca.
Correct: Dejé la página en blanco.
To say blank (empty), use "en blanco". "Blanca" only describes the color.
Incorrect: Mi mente se puso blanca.
Correct: Me quedé en blanco.
"Quedarse en blanco" is the natural way to say your mind went blank.
Phrases you will hear
- a blank pageuna página en blanco
- fill in the blankcompleta el espacio
- leave it blankdéjalo en blanco
- my mind went blankme quedé en blanco
- a blank lookuna mirada perdida
- a blank checkun cheque en blanco
In a conversation
- A:
Did you finish the test?
¿Terminaste el examen?
- B:
No. My mind went blank on question five.
No. Me quedé en blanco en la pregunta cinco.
- A:
Just leave it blank and move on.
Déjala en blanco y sigue.
- B:
Good idea. I'll fill in the other blanks first.
Buena idea. Primero completaré los otros espacios.
Test yourself
"A blank page" is a page that is...
To remember it
Blank = empty/unfilled. The color white (Spanish "blanco") = white.
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "blanco" mean?
Spanish "blanco" means "white". It looks like the English "blank", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "blank" means "empty / unfilled".
Does English "blank" mean the same as Spanish "blanco"?
"Blank" and Spanish "blanco" share a Germanic root meaning "bright, unmarked." Spanish kept the sense of the color. English "blank" specialized into empty or unfilled, like a blank space on a form.