obstáculo

obstacle

noun ohbs-TAH-koo-loh Less Common

Also means

hurdle

Usage Note

Obstáculo is stressed on the antepenultimate syllable (esdrújula), so it always carries a written accent. Salvar un obstáculo or superar un obstáculo means 'to overcome an obstacle'. In athletics carrera de obstáculos is the steeplechase or hurdles. The word is a near-transparent cognate with English 'obstacle'.

Examples

"El idioma fue el mayor obstáculo al principio."

Natural Translation

Language was the biggest obstacle at first.

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