energía
/eneɾˈxia/feminine
The Spanish word for energy is energía.
energía is the most common translation for energy and refers to the capacity to do work. Depending on the context, other words can be used to convey similar ideas of vitality or motivation.
Meaning: capacity to do work (noun)
Which one should you use?
While energía is the standard term, you might encounter other words: Vigor is used for poetic or formal contexts to convey strength and vitality. pila (meaning battery) is an informal way to refer to energy or endurance. ánimo is an everyday term for enthusiasm or motivation. And chispa (meaning spark) describes a sense of liveliness.
How does it change in a sentence?
energía is a feminine noun, so it is used with the feminine article la (e.g., la energía).
How do you pronounce it?
/eneɾˈxia/
Did you know?
- In many Latin American countries, saying ponerse las pilas literally means 'to put in your batteries' but is used to tell someone to wake up and start working hard.
- The word energía shares its exact same roots as the English word 'energy', both tracing back to the Greek enérgeia meaning 'activity' or 'operation'.
- When discussing a person's drive or willpower, Spanish speakers might use the phrase tener fuerzas instead of tener energía, focusing on 'forces' rather than 'energy'.
Examples in context
- ¡Qué gasto de energía!What a waste of energy!This sentence shows how to express a waste of energy using energía.Tatoeba #567218 by Shishir, translation #24947 by CK
- ¡El café te da energía!Coffee gives you energy!This sentence illustrates how coffee provides energía.Tatoeba #859556 by Shishir, translation #817923 by Cindrogriza
- Él está lleno de energía.He is full of energy.This sentence describes someone being full of energía.Tatoeba #534057 by Shishir, translation #294885 by CK
- La energía es fundamental para el funcionamiento del cuerpo humano.Energy is essential for the functioning of the human body.
- Su vigor y entusiasmo son admirables.His/Her vigor and enthusiasm are admirable.
- ¡Tienes mucha pila hoy!You have a lot of energy today!
- ¡Esa niña tiene una chispa tremenda!That girl has an incredible spark/liveliness!
- 88 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are talking at a gym.
- AlejandroLucía, tú tienes mucha energía hoy.Lucía, you have a lot of energy today.
- LucíaGracias, Alejandro, me siento muy bien.Thanks, Alejandro, I feel very good.
- Alejandro¿Cómo consigues tanta energía para entrenar?How do you get so much energy to train?
- LucíaDuermo ocho horas cada noche.I sleep eight hours every night.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “energy” translations and entries energía, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries energía, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
