cometa
/koˈmeta/masculine
The English word "comet" is cometa in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists guashuma.
Meaning: a celestial body, generally with a tail (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cometa | /koˈmeta/ | masculine |
| guashuma | /ɡwaˈʃuma/ | El Salvador, feminine |
cometa refers to a celestial body, such as an astronomical comet, but it is also the word used for a toy kite.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In El Salvador, the feminine form guashuma is used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
cometa is a masculine noun. guashuma is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/koˈmeta/
Did you know?
- The word cometa originates from the Ancient Greek word for 'long-haired'. This refers to the appearance of the comet's tail as a flowing lock of hair.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, flying a cometa is a traditional activity associated with the windy months of August and September.
- If you use the word cometa in a playground, people will assume you are talking about a toy rather than an astronomical event.
Examples in context
- El cometa Halley volverá el 2061.Halley's Comet will come back in 2061.This sentence is useful for discussing when Halley's comet will return.Tatoeba #1258821 by marcelostockle, translation #34987 by CN
- Así es como él descubrió el cometa.That's how he discovered the comet.This sentence illustrates how a comet might be discovered.Tatoeba #1258823 by marcelostockle, translation #51202 by CM
- No confundas cometas con asteroides.Don't confuse a comet with an asteroid.This sentence helps distinguish between comets and asteroids.Tatoeba #1258837 by marcelostockle, translation #6571380 by CarpeLanam
- Observé un hermoso cometa en el cielo anoche.I observed a beautiful comet in the sky last night.
- Mi hijo disfruta volar su cometa en el parque.My son enjoys flying his kite in the park.
- Vimos una estrella fugaz anoche, pero en realidad era un cometa.We saw a shooting star last night, but it was actually a comet.
- ¡Mira! ¡Una estrella fugaz! ¡Es un cometa, en realidad!Look! A shooting star! It's actually a comet!
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are looking at the night sky through a telescope.
- DanielMira, creo que aquel es el cometa.Look, I think that one is the comet.
- LucíaNo lo veo, ¿dónde está exactamente?I don't see it, where exactly is it?
- DanielEstá justo al lado de esa estrella brillante.It's right next to that bright star.
- Lucía¡Es verdad! Qué cola tan larga tiene el cometa.It's true! The comet has such a long tail.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “comet” translations and entries cometa, guashuma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cometa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
