agua
/ˈaɡwa/
agua is the Spanish word for water.
agua refers to the clear liquid that falls as rain and is necessary for all living things.
Which one should you use?
While agua is the standard term, you might encounter aguita in informal settings to speak affectionately or playfully. For a highly formal context, the phrase Líquido elemento can be used to mean liquid element.
How does it change in a sentence?
agua is a feminine noun, but it follows a specific rule regarding articles. In the singular, you use the masculine article el to create el agua. This prevents the clash of two 'a' sounds. However, when using the plural form aguas, you revert to the feminine article to say las aguas. When adding an adjective, the adjective must remain feminine to match the noun's gender, such as in el agua fría (the cold water).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈaɡwa/
Did you know?
- The expression agua va was historically shouted by people in Spain when throwing waste water from windows to warn pedestrians below.
- While agua means water, the phrase aguafuerte refers specifically to nitric acid used in etching, coming from the literal meaning of 'strong water'.
- The English word 'ea', an archaic term for a river or stream, shares the same ancient Proto-Indo-European ancestor as the Spanish agua.
Examples in context
- Me gustaría pedir un vaso de agua, por favor.I would like to order a glass of water, please.
- ¿Podría traerme una jarra de agua, por favor?Could you bring me a pitcher of water, please?
- ¿Te gustaría un poco de agua?Would you like some water?
- ¿Quieres beber agua?Do you want to drink water?
- El agua mineral es muy refrescante.Mineral water is very refreshing.
- Me encanta beber agua con gas.I love drinking sparkling water.
- El agua es esencial para la vida.Water is essential for life.
- Sin agua, no podríamos sobrevivir.Without water, we could not survive.
- Quiero un vaso de agua, por favor.I want a glass of water, please.
- Necesito un vaso de agua, por favor.I need a glass of water, please.
- El agua está muy fría hoy.The water is very cold today.
- ¿Quieres un poco de agua?Do you want some water?
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are sitting in a cafe.
- Alejandro¿Quieres agua, Lucía?Do you want water, Lucía?
- LucíaSí, gracias, Alejandro.Yes, thanks, Alejandro.
- AlejandroAquí tienes el agua.Here is the water.
- LucíaMuchas gracias por el agua.Thank you very much for the water.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry agua, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries agua, CC BY-SA 4.0.
