carbón en polvo
/kaɾbon en polbo/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for charcoal powder is carbón en polvo.
Note that if you are referring to the specific type of charcoal used by artists for sketching or drawing, you should use carboncillo instead.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase carbón en polvo is composed of carbón (charcoal or coal) and en polvo (in powder form).
Did you know?
- The word polvo is the singular form of the word for 'dust', but in many Spanish dialects, the plural polvos is used to refer to medicinal powders or even cosmetics.
- The English word 'pulverize' and the Spanish word polvo share the same ancient ancestor, the Proto-Indo-European root *pel-, which meant 'flour' or 'dust'.
- The word carbón is a doublet of carbono, which is the Spanish word for the chemical element 'carbon'.
Examples in context
- Necesito comprar polvo de carbón para mi experimento científico.I need to buy charcoal powder for my scientific experiment.
- Me encanta dibujar con polvo de carboncillo.I love drawing with charcoal powder.
- Se usa carbón en polvo para la máscara facial.Charcoal powder is used for the facial mask.
- Necesito comprar carbón en polvo para el tratamiento.I need to buy charcoal powder for the treatment.
- El carbón en polvo es un ingrediente común.Charcoal powder is a common ingredient.
- ¿Tienes un poco de carbón en polvo?Do you have a little charcoal powder?
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are in a health food store.
- MaríaAlejandro, ¿ves el carbón en polvo por aquí?Alejandro, do you see the charcoal powder around here?
- AlejandroCreo que está en el pasillo de suplementos.I think it is in the supplement aisle.
- María¡Ah, lo encontré! Es muy pequeño.Ah, I found it! It is very small.
- AlejandroPerfecto, vamos a la caja entonces.Perfect, let's go to the checkout then.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carbón, en, polvo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
