Collocations are combinations of two words that, together, give a completely new meaning. They are often used to refer to an object or a state of affairs. For example: giving advice, airing a secret.
Collocations are characteristic of a particular place or region, so they may be completely meaningless or incoherent to a speaker from a foreign region. Collocations do not adhere to fixed rules, as their use depends on the speakers of a particular language.
Collocations express a meaning unequivocally, meaning they cannot be confused or substituted. To verify this, we can try translating the collocations into another language: we will find that they completely lose their coherence.
It is important to differentiate collocations from idiomatic expressions (for example, the expressions ” turn a blind eye” or “cut to the chase “) since the difference lies in the fact that collocations individually contribute meaning to the overall idea, while idiomatic expressions lack the same overall meaning if each component is taken separately.
Finally, it’s important to note that there are some somewhat unusual collocations that are only used in specific contexts or places, but there are others that are very common. For example: decir una cosa (to say something).
- It may be useful to you: Literal and figurative meaning
Placement examples
- Open a wound
- Grabbing the spotlight
- Act recklessly
- Love unconditionally
- Analyze carefully
- Damsel Bet
- Handsome gentleman
- Filthy rich
- Take a risk
- Primary care
- Low consumption
- Sperm bank
- School of fish
- Blood bank
- Fall into disuse
- Coffee cut
- Vile slander
- Tax burden
- Hold a meeting
- Smack your lips
- Trust completely
- Solid knowledge
- Keep your good mood
- Financial corralito
- Job creation
- Believe blindly
- Give advice
- Take a walk
- Extreme sport
- External debt
- Public debt
- School device
- Financial device
- Police device
- Start a romantic relationship
- Huge mistake
- Price scale
- Strictly prohibited
- Happily married
- Investment fund
- Fail miserably
- Heavy smoker
- Seriously injured
- Conspiratorial wink
- To completely ignore
- Carry out
- Torrential rains
- Crazy as hell
- Slice of ham
- Full moon
- Waning Moon
- Let’s get to work
- Maintain composure
- Black market
- Menacing look
- Unforgettable moment
- Deny flatly
- New economy
- Grant a loan
- Package bomb
- Irreparable loss
- Investment plan
- Raise problems
- Active population
- Passive population
- Purchasing power
- Question
- Agree
- Slice of cake
- Careful prices
- Give a speech
- Target audience
- Meeting point
- Point of sale
- point of view
- Salary cut
- Refresh your memory
- Fixed income
- Equity
- Withdraw the greeting
- Satisfy a demand
- Public sector
- Leading sector
- Life insurance
- Request permission
- Confirmed bachelor
- Fell a tree
- Birth rate
- Take into account
- Eyewitness
- Interest rates
- Pull the wool over eyes
- Take action
- Take shape
- Digital ballot box
- Air a secret
- Old economy
- Vile lie
- Red wine
- Settle the controversy
