abrir las zanjas

== Spanish == === Etymology === Literally, “to open the ditches”. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /aˌbɾiɾ las ˈθanxas/ [aˌβ̞ɾiɾ las ˈθãŋ.xas] (Equatorial Guinea, Spain) IPA(key): /aˌbɾiɾ las ˈsanxas/ [aˌβ̞ɾiɾ las ˈsãŋ.xas] (Latin America, Philippines) Syllabification: a‧brir las zan‧jas === Verb === abrir las zanjas (first-person singular present abro las zanjas, first-person singular preterite abrí las zanjas, past participle abierto las zanjas) (idiomatic) to break ground (to begin building a new construction project) (transitive) to begin === Further reading === “abrir las zanjas”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025