When you hear transnacional, think beyond national borders. It describes something that operates, extends, or involves more than one country. So, a company with offices in several countries could be called a empresa transnacional. Similarly, a cultural movement that spans different nations is a movimiento cultural transnacional. It's a useful word for discussing global connections and influences.
§ What 'transnacional' means
§ Basic Use: Adjective Agreement
- Singular
- transnacional
- Plural
- transnacionales
§ Examples with 'transnacional'
Es una empresa transnacional.
Las corporaciones transnacionales tienen mucho poder.
§ Common Contexts for 'transnacional'
Empresas transnacionales: Transnational companies. Muchas empresas transnacionales operan en todo el mundo.
Meaning: Many transnational companies operate worldwide.Crimen transnacional: Transnational crime. La lucha contra el crimen transnacional es compleja.
Meaning: The fight against transnational crime is complex.Flujos transnacionales: Transnational flows (e.g., of capital, people, information). Los flujos migratorios transnacionales son un fenómeno global.
Meaning: Transnational migratory flows are a global phenomenon.Redes transnacionales: Transnational networks. Existen redes transnacionales de activistas.
Meaning: There are transnational networks of activists.
§ Where to place 'transnacional'
Es una organización transnacional.
§ 'Transnacional' and Prepositions
De: (of, from) La influencia de estas empresas transnacionales es enorme.
Meaning: The influence of thesetransnational companies is enormous.En: (in, on, at) Participa en un proyecto transnacional.
Meaning: He/She participates in atransnational project.
Grammar Patterns
Idioms & Expressions
"Ser pan comido"
To be a piece of cake / very easy
El examen de español fue pan comido. (The Spanish exam was a piece of cake.)
informal"Estar como una cabra"
To be crazy / mad (like a goat)
Mi vecino está como una cabra, siempre habla solo. (My neighbor is crazy, he always talks to himself.)
informal"No tener pelos en la lengua"
To not mince words / be very direct
Ella no tiene pelos en la lengua, siempre dice lo que piensa. (She doesn't mince words, she always says what she thinks.)
neutral"Ponerse las pilas"
To get a move on / to buckle down / to get to work (literally, to put in the batteries)
Tienes que ponerte las pilas si quieres terminar el proyecto a tiempo. (You have to get a move on if you want to finish the project on time.)
informal"Costar un ojo de la cara"
To cost an arm and a leg (literally, to cost an eye of the face)
Ese coche cuesta un ojo de la cara. (That car costs an arm and a leg.)
informal"Tener la mosca detrás de la oreja"
To be suspicious / to have a bee in one's bonnet (literally, to have the fly behind the ear)
Después de su llamada, me quedé con la mosca detrás de la oreja. (After his call, I was suspicious.)
neutral"Estar en las nubes"
To be in the clouds / to be daydreaming
Siempre está en las nubes durante la clase. (He's always daydreaming during class.)
informal"Buscarle tres pies al gato"
To look for trouble / to complicate things unnecessarily (literally, to look for three feet on the cat)
No le busques tres pies al gato, es muy simple. (Don't complicate things unnecessarily, it's very simple.)
informal"Dar en el clavo"
To hit the nail on the head / to be spot on
Con tu respuesta, has dado en el clavo. (With your answer, you hit the nail on the head.)
neutral"Echar una mano"
To lend a hand / to help out
¿Puedes echarme una mano con esto? (Can you lend me a hand with this?)
neutralSentence Patterns
organización transnacional
La empresa es una organización transnacional con oficinas en muchos países. (The company is a transnational organization with offices in many countries.)
colaboración transnacional
Fomentamos la colaboración transnacional entre equipos. (We encourage transnational collaboration between teams.)
movimiento transnacional
El movimiento por los derechos humanos es transnacional. (The human rights movement is transnational.)
identidad transnacional
Muchas personas tienen una identidad transnacional hoy en día. (Many people have a transnational identity nowadays.)
influencia transnacional
La música pop tiene una influencia transnacional. (Pop music has a transnational influence.)
red transnacional
Trabajan en una red transnacional para combatir el crimen. (They work in a transnational network to combat crime.)
asuntos transnacionales
Discutieron asuntos transnacionales en la conferencia. (They discussed transnational issues at the conference.)
estudios transnacionales
Ella se especializa en estudios transnacionales. (She specializes in transnational studies.)
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'trans' meaning across, and 'nacional' meaning national. It literally means 'across national' borders.
Visual Association
Imagine a globe with lines stretching across different countries, connecting them. These lines represent something 'transnacional' – moving across nations.
Word Web
Challenge
Describe a product or company you know that operates in a 'transnacional' way. For example: 'Apple es una empresa transnacional.' (Apple is a transnational company.)
Test Yourself 60 questions
Which word describes something that goes beyond national borders?
'Transnacional' means extending or operating across national boundaries. 'Nacional' means relating to a single nation, 'Internacional' means between two or more nations, and 'Local' refers to a particular area or neighborhood.
Which of these is an example of something transnational?
A large company with offices in many countries operates across national borders, which is the definition of transnational.
The word 'transnacional' is an adjective. What does an adjective do?
Adjectives describe nouns. 'Transnacional' describes a noun, like 'empresa' (company) or 'cultura' (culture).
A transnational company only works in one country.
False. A transnational company works in many countries, not just one. The prefix 'trans-' means across.
The word 'transnacional' can describe a business that operates in more than one country.
True. 'Transnacional' is used to describe things that extend beyond national borders, like businesses, organizations, or even ideas.
If something is 'transnacional', it is only important in one small town.
False. If something is 'transnacional', it is important in many places, across different countries, not just one small town.
Write a short sentence about a car, using a color.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
El coche es rojo.
Write a simple sentence describing your favorite food.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Me gusta comer pizza.
Write a sentence saying hello to someone.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Hola, amigo.
¿De dónde es Ana?
Read this passage:
Mi nombre es Ana. Soy de España. Me gusta leer libros.
¿De dónde es Ana?
The passage states 'Soy de España', meaning 'I am from Spain'.
The passage states 'Soy de España', meaning 'I am from Spain'.
¿De qué color son los ojos del perro?
Read this passage:
El perro es grande. Tiene ojos marrones. Le gusta jugar.
¿De qué color son los ojos del perro?
The passage says 'Tiene ojos marrones', which means 'It has brown eyes'.
The passage says 'Tiene ojos marrones', which means 'It has brown eyes'.
¿Qué día es hoy?
Read this passage:
Hoy es martes. Mañana será miércoles. Ayer fue lunes.
¿Qué día es hoy?
The passage states 'Hoy es martes', meaning 'Today is Tuesday'.
The passage states 'Hoy es martes', meaning 'Today is Tuesday'.
The company has transnational operations in several countries.
The pollution problem is a transnational challenge.
Transnational organizations work for world peace.
Read this aloud:
Repite: La moda es transnacional hoy en día.
Focus: trans-na-cio-nal
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Repite: ¿Qué significa 'transnacional'?
Focus: sig-ni-fi-ca
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Repite: Muchas marcas son transnacionales.
Focus: mar-cas
You said:
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Which word best describes a company that operates in many countries?
Transnacional specifically refers to something that extends or operates across national boundaries.
Choose the sentence where 'transnacional' is used correctly.
Transnational companies operate in multiple countries, often across different continents.
What is the opposite of 'transnacional'?
Transnacional means operating across nations, while local means pertaining to a particular area or place.
A 'compañía transnacional' only does business within its home country.
A transnational company operates in multiple countries, not just its home country.
The term 'transnacional' suggests a connection that goes beyond a single nation.
The prefix 'trans-' means across or beyond, so 'transnacional' implies extending beyond national borders.
A 'problema transnacional' is an issue that affects only one country.
A transnational problem is one that crosses national boundaries and affects multiple countries.
Describe a product or service that you think operates on a transnational level. Mention where it originates and where it is available.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Creo que el café es un producto transnacional. Su origen puede ser en Colombia o Brasil, pero está disponible en cafeterías y supermercados en muchos países del mundo, como Estados Unidos y España.
Imagine you are explaining to a friend why a certain environmental issue (like climate change) requires a transnational solution. Write two sentences.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
El cambio climático es un problema que requiere una solución transnacional porque afecta a todos los países. Ningún país puede resolverlo solo; necesitamos la colaboración de muchos.
Write a sentence in Spanish about a company that has a transnational presence, including its name and where it operates.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
McDonald's es una empresa con una presencia transnacional, operando en casi todos los países del mundo.
¿Qué tipo de cooperación es el movimiento por los derechos humanos según el texto?
Read this passage:
El movimiento por los derechos humanos es un ejemplo de cooperación transnacional. Muchas organizaciones trabajan juntas en diferentes países para proteger los derechos de las personas. Estas organizaciones comparten información y estrategias para lograr sus objetivos globales.
¿Qué tipo de cooperación es el movimiento por los derechos humanos según el texto?
El pasaje dice claramente que 'el movimiento por los derechos humanos es un ejemplo de cooperación transnacional'.
El pasaje dice claramente que 'el movimiento por los derechos humanos es un ejemplo de cooperación transnacional'.
¿Qué hace que la música pop moderna tenga un carácter transnacional?
Read this passage:
La música pop moderna a menudo tiene un carácter transnacional. Artistas de un país pueden tener éxitos en muchos otros países, y las colaboraciones entre músicos de diferentes nacionalidades son comunes. Esto ayuda a que la música llegue a audiencias globales.
¿Qué hace que la música pop moderna tenga un carácter transnacional?
El texto menciona que 'artistas de un país pueden tener éxitos en muchos otros países, y las colaboraciones entre músicos de diferentes nacionalidades son comunes'.
El texto menciona que 'artistas de un país pueden tener éxitos en muchos otros países, y las colaboraciones entre músicos de diferentes nacionalidades son comunes'.
¿Cuál es una característica principal de las corporaciones transnacionales?
Read this passage:
Las corporaciones transnacionales son grandes empresas que operan en más de un país. Pueden tener fábricas en un lugar, oficinas de ventas en otro y centros de investigación en un tercero. Esto les permite expandir su mercado y recursos.
¿Cuál es una característica principal de las corporaciones transnacionales?
El pasaje indica que 'las corporaciones transnacionales son grandes empresas que operan en más de un país'.
El pasaje indica que 'las corporaciones transnacionales son grandes empresas que operan en más de un país'.
The correct order forms the sentence 'The company has transnational operations.'
The correct order forms the sentence 'It is a transnational phenomenon that affects many countries.'
The correct order forms the sentence 'We need a transnational solution for this problem.'
Which of the following best describes a 'empresa transnacional'?
'Transnacional' refers to something that extends or operates across national boundaries.
Choose the sentence where 'transnacional' is used correctly.
'Transnacional' refers to something that crosses national borders, like culture influenced by global traditions.
What is a characteristic of an organization with a 'visión transnacional'?
A 'visión transnacional' implies a perspective that looks beyond national borders to global aspects.
Una organización transnacional solo tiene oficinas en un país.
By definition, a transnational organization operates in multiple countries, not just one.
La influencia transnacional siempre es económica.
Transnational influence can be cultural, political, social, and more, not solely economic.
Un problema transnacional requiere la cooperación de varios países para ser resuelto.
Problems that cross national borders often need international collaboration for effective solutions.
Listen for 'transnacionales' and its connection to the company's global reach.
Focus on the role of 'organizaciones transnacionales' in the global economy.
Pay attention to 'movimientos de personas transnacionales' and their social implications.
Read this aloud:
Describe cómo una corporación transnacional podría afectar la cultura local de un país donde opera.
Focus: corporación, transnacional, afectar, cultura, local
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Explica la diferencia entre una empresa internacional y una transnacional.
Focus: diferencia, internacional, transnacional
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Argumenta a favor o en contra de la regulación de las empresas transnacionales por parte de organismos internacionales.
Focus: argumenta, favor, contra, regulación, organismos internacionales
You said:
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Choose the best word to complete the sentence: La globalización ha llevado a un aumento en las empresas ___ que operan en múltiples países.
The context of globalization and operating in multiple countries directly points to 'transnacionales'.
Which of the following phrases best describes a 'transnacional' phenomenon?
The core meaning of 'transnacional' is something that crosses national borders, making this the best description.
Identifica la oración donde 'transnacional' se usa correctamente:
Criminal networks often operate across borders, making 'transnacionales' an appropriate descriptor for a global security challenge.
Una empresa transnacional siempre tiene su producción y ventas concentradas en un solo país.
By definition, a transnational company operates across multiple countries, so its production and sales would not be concentrated in just one.
El concepto de 'transnacional' se aplica únicamente a las empresas y no a otros fenómenos sociales o culturales.
While often applied to businesses, 'transnacional' can also describe social, cultural, or political phenomena that extend beyond national borders.
Un problema medioambiental transnacional es aquel que afecta a varias naciones simultáneamente.
Environmental problems that cross borders (like climate change or pollution) are prime examples of transnational issues affecting multiple nations.
This sentence discusses the importance of cooperation for transnational challenges.
This sentence highlights the increasing role of transnational organizations in global politics.
This sentence explains how migration has taken on a more transnational nature.
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Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
More business words
a cambio
B1As a return or substitute; in exchange, in return.
a cambio de
B1In exchange for.
a cargo de
B1In charge of; responsible for.
a diario
B1Every day; daily.
a excepción de
B1With the exception of; except for.
a fin de que
B1In order that; so that.
a fondo
B1Thoroughly or in depth.
a la vez
B1At the same time; simultaneously.
a medida que
B1At the same rate or in the same way as.
a medio plazo
B1In the medium term, over a moderate period of time.
