prendiéndose fuego
/pɾendjendose fweɡo/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "catching fire" is prendiéndose fuego.
This phrase describes the act of something starting to burn or igniting.
Which one should you use?
You can also use the single word incendiándose to convey the same meaning of catching fire or setting on fire.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾendjendose fweɡo/
Did you know?
- Spanish has a double relationship with the Latin word 'focus'. It inherited fuego naturally but also borrowed foco later to mean 'light bulb' or 'center'.
- In Spanish, the verb prender used in prendiéndose fuego can also mean 'to turn on' a light or 'to arrest' a person.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the phrase prender fuego is used idiomatically to mean starting a conflict or creating a chaotic situation.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are in the kitchen during a cooking accident.
- Mateo¡Lucía, mira el sartén, se está prendiéndose fuego!Lucía, look at the pan, it's catching fire!
- Lucía¡Ay no! ¡Apaga el fuego rápido, Mateo!Oh no! Turn off the heat quickly, Mateo!
- MateoYa lo apagué, pero sigue saliendo humo.I already turned it off, but smoke is still coming out.
- LucíaMenos mal que no se quemó la cocina.Luckily the kitchen didn't burn down.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fuego, CC BY-SA 4.0.
