A2 Idiom カジュアル

Ser un/a empollón/a

To be a bookworm

意味

Describes someone who studies a lot and is very dedicated to learning.

🌍

文化的背景

The 'Cultura del Esfuerzo' (Culture of Effort) is strong in Spain due to the 'Oposiciones' system. Being an 'empollón' is often a necessity to get a stable government job. In Mexico, 'matado' is the preferred term. It comes from 'matarse estudiando' (to kill oneself studying). It is very common in high schools. The term 'traga' is the most common slang. It's short for 'tragallibros' (book-swallower). It can be quite pejorative among teenagers. Chileans use 'mateo'. It is generally more positive than 'empollón', implying the student is both smart and hardworking.

💡

Use it playfully

It's best used as a lighthearted tease among friends rather than a serious description.

⚠️

Gender matters

Don't forget to change it to 'empollona' for women, or it will sound very strange!

意味

Describes someone who studies a lot and is very dedicated to learning.

💡

Use it playfully

It's best used as a lighthearted tease among friends rather than a serious description.

⚠️

Gender matters

Don't forget to change it to 'empollona' for women, or it will sound very strange!

💬

Regional awareness

If you are in Latin America, try using 'matado' or 'traga' to impress the locals.

🎯

The verb form

You can also use the verb 'empollarse' (e.g., 'Me he empollado todo el libro') to mean you studied something intensely.

自分をテスト

Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'empollón'.

María siempre saca las mejores notas, es una ________.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: empollona

Since María is female, we use the feminine singular form 'empollona'.

Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'They are bookworms'?

Ellos...

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: son unos empollones

We use 'ser' for personality traits, and 'empollones' loses the accent mark in the plural.

Match the phrase to the context.

Context: A friend refuses to go to a party to study for a minor quiz.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: ¡No seas tan empollón!

This is the most natural informal way to tease a friend in this situation.

Complete the dialogue.

A: ¿Por qué no salió Juan anoche? B: Porque ________ y tenía que repasar.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: es un empollón

The structure 'ser + un + noun' is the standard way to use this idiom.

🎉 スコア: /4

ビジュアル学習ツール

Regional Synonyms

Spain
Empollón Bookworm
Mexico
Matado Killed (by study)
Argentina
Traga Swallower (of books)
Chile
Mateo Gifted/Hardworking

練習問題バンク

4 問題
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'empollón'. Fill Blank A2

María siempre saca las mejores notas, es una ________.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: empollona

Since María is female, we use the feminine singular form 'empollona'.

Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'They are bookworms'? Choose B1

Ellos...

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: son unos empollones

We use 'ser' for personality traits, and 'empollones' loses the accent mark in the plural.

Match the phrase to the context. situation_matching A2

Context: A friend refuses to go to a party to study for a minor quiz.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: ¡No seas tan empollón!

This is the most natural informal way to tease a friend in this situation.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion A2

A: ¿Por qué no salió Juan anoche? B: Porque ________ y tenía que repasar.

✓ 正解! ✗ おしい! 正解: es un empollón

The structure 'ser + un + noun' is the standard way to use this idiom.

🎉 スコア: /4

よくある質問

10 問

Not usually. It's more of a label. It can be an insult if said with a mean tone, but usually, it's just informal teasing.

Yes, especially if they are studying for a master's degree or a professional exam.

'Estudioso' is formal and positive. 'Empollón' is informal and can imply studying too much.

No, it specifically implies effort and time spent studying. For someone naturally smart, use 'cerebrito' or 'listo'.

You can say 'es un poco empollón' or use 'friki' if you mean nerdy about hobbies like Star Wars.

People will understand it because of Spanish media, but they don't use it in daily speech.

The feminine plural is 'empollonas'.

No, the word only describes people, not things or tasks.

Yes, 'empollar' means to study hard for an exam.

Very! Any Spanish teen drama (like Élite) will use this word frequently.

関連フレーズ

🔗

Hincar los codos

similar

To study hard (literally: to dig in one's elbows).

🔗

Cerebrito

similar

A little brain / whiz kid.

🔄

Ratón de biblioteca

synonym

Library mouse (bookworm).

🔗

Ser un hacha

similar

To be an axe (to be very good at something).

🔗

Pasarse de listo

contrast

To be a smart-aleck.

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