moho negro
/moo neɡɾo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "black mold" is translated into Spanish as moho negro.
moho negro refers to a type of dark-colored fungus that grows on damp surfaces in buildings.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of moho (mold) and negro (black).
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase moho negro, the adjective negro follows the noun moho in gender and number agreement. To express the plural "black molds", both the noun and the adjective must take the plural suffix -s.
How do you pronounce it?
/moo neɡɾo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking households, if you see 'moho negro' on a wall, you might simply tell someone 'hay mucha humedad' ('there is much humidity') instead of naming the fungus itself.
- The term 'moho' may not actually be of Latin origin, but instead might be a borrowing from an Old High German source like '*muff'.
- The Spanish moho belongs to a linguistic family that includes the Italian muffa and Portuguese mofo.
Examples in context
- Hay moho negro en la pared del baño.There is black mold on the bathroom wall.
- Debemos limpiar ese moho negro rápidamente.We must clean that black mold quickly.
- El moho negro puede ser peligroso para la salud.Black mold can be dangerous for your health.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are inspecting a damp corner in their apartment.
- ElenaAlejandro, mira, hay moho negro en esta esquina.Alejandro, look, there is black mold in this corner.
- AlejandroEs verdad, parece que la pared está muy húmeda.It's true, it looks like the wall is very damp.
- ElenaTenemos que llamar al dueño para que lo arregle.We have to call the owner to fix it.
- AlejandroTienes razón, Elena, es un problema serio.You're right, Elena, it is a serious problem.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries moho, negro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
