trabas

Trabas is the plural form of the Spanish noun traba, which denotes an obstacle, hindrance, or impediment that blocks progress or movement. The term is versatile and appears in everyday speech as well as in administrative, political, and legal contexts. In colloquial use, people speak of “poner trabas” to describe attempts to obstruct or delay a process, and of “quitar trabas” to remove such obstacles.

Beyond figurative use, trabas can refer to physical devices that prevent movement. In mechanics and engineering, a traba is a blocking element such as a pin, bolt, wedge, or latch used to secure parts or keep them from moving. Common phrases include “traba de seguridad” (safety lock) and other forms of fasteners or restraints that serve to immobilize components.

Geographically, the term is understood across Spanish-speaking regions, though usage frequency varies. It is especially common in discussions about bureaucracy, regulation, and governance to describe administrative hurdles that slow or complicate processes.

Related terms include obstáculo, impedimento, and bloqueo, as well as the verb trabar, which means to fasten, to block, or to hinder. The noun trabas emphasizes the object or mechanism that creates the obstacle, while the verb emphasizes the action of hindering or securing.