Solicitar no es aplicar: vocabulario clave de trámites

Mini quiz de falsos amigos y términos clave al pedir permisos.

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Dannis

2 min reading time

Vocabulary Idioms

Keywords:

solicitar aplicar a/para (falso amigo)trámite expediente

False friend: "aplicar". Don’t say "aplicar para un permiso". You say "solicitar un permiso/visado". **Aplicar** = to use/apply/put into practice: *aplicar una norma*, *aplicar crema*.

For Russian speakers this was: solicitar = подавать заявление; aplicar = применять. For you: **solicitar** = to apply for (officially request), **aplicar** = to apply (a rule/cream, etc.).

Trámite = each step in an administrative process. Expressions: hacer/realizar un trámite; tramitar una solicitud. Previously explained in Russian as “процедура/формальность”. In English: think "procedure / administrative step".

Expediente = the "dossier" or case file for your application, with a reference number. Phrases: abrir un expediente; consultar el número de expediente. In Russian this was glossed as дело (case file). In English: "case file" with a number.

Cita previa = booking an appointment (usually online) before going in person. Without an appointment, many offices won’t see you. Expressions: pedir/sacar cita previa; tengo cita para huellas (I have an appointment for fingerprints). Previously: запись заранее. In English: "appointment booked in advance".

Comprehension check:

Completa: Quiero ___ un permiso de residencia.

solicitar

aplicar

aplicar para

aplicar a

In Spanish, for an official request you use "solicitar", and "aplicar" does not mean "to apply for a permit" (it’s more like "to apply/use").

Think: which word is used in the phrase "___ un visado"?

“Un trámite” es…

cada paso del proceso administrativo

el documento final con foto

la entrevista consular

una cita médica

"Trámite" is an individual step/procedure in an administrative process.

The word is about the process, not the final result.

¿Qué significa “expediente” en extranjería?

El dossier con tus documentos y número de caso

Un pago de tasas

Una cita urgente

Un permiso temporal

"Expediente" is the case file (dossier) for your case, with a reference number, where your documents are stored.

Think of a numbered "case file".

Elige el uso correcto de “aplicar”:

La empresa aplica la normativa de seguridad.

Voy a aplicar para la TIE.

Quiero aplicar a un permiso.

¿Dónde aplico para cita?

"Aplicar" is correctly used with the meaning "to apply / to put into practice": *aplicar una norma*. For applications and forms, Spanish uses "solicitar".

"Aplicar" = "to apply / to use", not "to apply for (a permit)".