corrosión
/koroˈsjon/feminine
The Spanish word for corrosion is corrosión.
corrosión refers to erosion caused by chemical action. You may also use the adjective corrosivo for masculine nouns or corrosiva for feminine nouns to describe something that is corrosive.
Meaning: Erosion by chemical action (noun)
Which one should you use?
In scientific literature, you might encounter the formal term erosión química as a synonym. When specifically discussing the deterioration of metal, the formal term oxidación (oxidation) is often used. In casual, non-technical conversations, people may use the word desgaste to convey the general idea of something wearing away or deteriorating due to corrosion.
How does it change in a sentence?
corrosión is a feminine noun, so it is preceded by the feminine article la (e.g., la corrosión) rather than the masculine el.
How do you pronounce it?
/koroˈsjon/
Did you know?
- In poetic or literary Spanish, the idea of corrosión is often used metaphorically to describe the 'eating away' of the soul or heart by grief or jealousy.
- In a figurative sense, the Spanish language can use corrosivo to describe a person's personality or a way of speaking that is biting, sarcastic, or intended to hurt others.
- While corrosión describes a chemical process, the word desgaste is used for everything from a rusted pipe to the wearing down of a shoe sole or a person's mental exhaustion.
Examples in context
- La corrosión del metal en el agua salada es un problema común en los barcosCorrosion of metal in saltwater is a common problem in boats
- Las estatuas de bronce en el parque están sufriendo desgaste debido a la corrosión atmosféricaThe bronze statues in the park are experiencing wear and tear due to atmospheric corrosion
- Si no proteges tus herramientas de metal, pueden corroerse con el tiempoIf you don't protect your metal tools, they can corrode over time
- La corrosión dañó el metal.Corrosion damaged the metal.
- Debemos prevenir la corrosión en el motor.We must prevent corrosion in the engine.
- El salitre causa mucha corrosión.Sea salt causes a lot of corrosion.
Example conversation
Javier and María are inspecting a metal fence near the ocean.
- JavierMaría, mira esta corrosión en la cerca.María, look at this corrosion on the fence.
- MaríaEs verdad, el metal está muy débil.It's true, the metal is very weak.
- JavierNecesitamos repararla pronto.We need to repair it soon.
- MaríaTienes razón, Javier.You are right, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “corrosion” translations and entries corrosión, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
