Repeat and duplicate are often used interchangeably, but there are subtle differences between them. "Repeat" means to do or say something again, often in the same way. "Duplicate" means to make an exact copy of something. Think of it this way: you repeat an action, but you duplicate an object.

Here are some example sentences to illustrate the difference:

• Repeat:

  • "Please repeat the instructions." (English)
  • "Por favor, repite las instrucciones." (Spanish)
  • "The teacher asked the students to repeat the words after her." (English)
  • "El maestro pidió a los estudiantes que repitieran las palabras después de él." (Spanish)

• Duplicate:

  • "Don't duplicate the files; it will use up too much space." (English)
  • "No dupliques los archivos; ocupará demasiado espacio." (Spanish)
  • "He duplicated the key so he could give one to his wife." (English)
  • "Duplicó la llave para poder darle una a su esposa." (Spanish)

Notice that "repeat" focuses on the action of doing something again, while "duplicate" focuses on creating an identical copy. You can repeat a mistake, but you duplicate a document. You can repeat a question, but you duplicate a photograph.

Sometimes the words can be used in similar contexts, but their nuance is different. For example, you could say, "Repeat after me," or "Duplicate this form." But you would never say "Duplicate after me." You can see the difference in the emphasis.

Happy learning!