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  3. Construction / Civil Engineering

techo (en el contexto)

English translation: roof

08:15 Aug 10, 2004
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Construction / Civil Engineering
Spanish term or phrase: techo (en el contexto)
"...tras amplia deliberación se acuerda por unanimidad aprobar la impermeabilización del techo de los locales por la propia comunidad con una coste de alrededor de 10.000 Euros."
These commercial premises are and covered with soil and lawn, forming a garden.
The question is which word ("roof" or "ceiling") should be used. Normally you waterproof roofs on tops of buildings, but in this case the text concerns commercial premises covered with a garden.
The text does not specify whether the waterproofing is to be done from the inside or the outside. It does not say either whether the premises are under or above ground level.
Antonio Castillo González
Local time: 06:41
English translation:roof
Explanation:
Oxford

techo m
1 a (cielo raso) ceiling
b (AmL) (tejado, cubierta) roof; bajo techo indoors o under cover
c (hogar, casa) house; todos viven bajo el mismo techo they all live under the same roof o in the same house; muchas familias
quedaron sin techo many families were left homeless o without a roof over their heads; para tirar al techo (Arg fam): tienen
plata para tirar al techo they have money to burn (colloq), they have loads of money (colloq)

techo corredizo sunroof

2 a (de un avión) ceiling
b (nivel, cota) ceiling; rebasó el techo del 8% it exceeded the 8% ceiling o limit; tratan de elevar su techo electoral a 105 escaños
they are trying to raise their quota of seats to 105; los precios ya han tocado techo prices have peaked o have gone as high as
they’re going to go o have reached their highest point

techo de cristal glass ceiling


Even though the garden that is on top is going to be watered, it is only logical that the actual structure would be waterproof from the outside, since sitting water inside the structure right before the ceiling would rot out the structure.

Mike :)
Selected response from:

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 00:41
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6roof
Michael Powers (PhD)
4 +3roof
David Brown
3 +1ceiling
Adriana Williams


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
roof


Explanation:
Oxford

techo m
1 a (cielo raso) ceiling
b (AmL) (tejado, cubierta) roof; bajo techo indoors o under cover
c (hogar, casa) house; todos viven bajo el mismo techo they all live under the same roof o in the same house; muchas familias
quedaron sin techo many families were left homeless o without a roof over their heads; para tirar al techo (Arg fam): tienen
plata para tirar al techo they have money to burn (colloq), they have loads of money (colloq)

techo corredizo sunroof

2 a (de un avión) ceiling
b (nivel, cota) ceiling; rebasó el techo del 8% it exceeded the 8% ceiling o limit; tratan de elevar su techo electoral a 105 escaños
they are trying to raise their quota of seats to 105; los precios ya han tocado techo prices have peaked o have gone as high as
they’re going to go o have reached their highest point

techo de cristal glass ceiling


Even though the garden that is on top is going to be watered, it is only logical that the actual structure would be waterproof from the outside, since sitting water inside the structure right before the ceiling would rot out the structure.

Mike :)

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 00:41
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 447
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Martin Perazzo
3 mins
agree  Claudia Berison
9 mins
agree  Graciela Carlyle
23 mins
agree  Jorge Gonza: "waterproof roof" is much more common than "waterproof ceiling" (e.g. Google) but the latter is not wrong, either.
5 hrs
agree  Mayte Hernandez-Beacham: Mayte Hernández
5 hrs
agree  Maria Carla Di Giacinti
1 day 7 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
roof


Explanation:
I would think it is the roof, as the permeability (presumably) to the elements is usually from the outside.

David Brown
Spain
Local time: 06:41
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 231

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Graciela Carlyle: no importa si está por encima o por debajo del nivel, la impermeabilización principal siempre va del lado de afuera.
25 mins
agree  Mayte Hernandez-Beacham: Mayte Hernández
5 hrs
agree  Stuart Allsop: I agree. Cant think of any reason why one would waterproof a ceiling. It makes no sense either: If you waterproof only the ceiling, then you leave the attic space exposed to trapped water and humidty, which is a terrible idea! It must be "roof".
5 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
ceiling


Explanation:
In construction, the technical term used is "insulation". In this case, I would think of "ceiling insulation". You are talking about the ceiling of a room (el techo de los locales) but not about the roof of a house/building. I think there is a difference there.

Adriana Williams
Local time: 01:41
Works in field
Native speaker of: Spanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  cebice: I think you are absolutely right!
1 hr
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