humus
/ˈumus/masculine
The Spanish word for humus is humus.
humus refers to a group of compounds in soil. In informal conversations, you might also hear people use the word Compost interchangeably to describe the same thing. Additionally, the phrase Materia orgánica descompuesta can be used informally to convey the concept of humus.
Meaning: group of compounds in soil (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of Spain, particularly in gardening contexts, the word mantillo is used to refer to humus-like substances.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈumus/
Did you know?
- The word humus shares a root with humildad, meaning 'humility', because both derive from the Latin word for 'earth'.
- Spanish speakers avoid using humus when referring to the chickpea dip, which is spelled hummus with double 'm' to distinguish the food from the soil.
- Spanish speakers must be careful not to confuse humus with humo, which means 'smoke'.
Examples in context
- El humus es un componente esencial del suelo fértilHumus is an essential component of fertile soil
- El humus es rico en nutrientes y mejora la retención de agua en el sueloHumus is rich in nutrients and enhances water retention in the soil
- El humus es esencial para las plantas.Humus is essential for plants.
- Añadimos mucho humus al jardín.We added a lot of humus to the garden.
- Este suelo tiene un humus muy rico.This soil has a very rich humus.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are gardening together.
- MateoElena, ¿está lista la tierra para plantar?Elena, is the soil ready for planting?
- ElenaSí, Mateo, ya le puse el humus.Yes, Mateo, I already added the humus.
- MateoSe ve mucho más oscura y fértil.It looks much darker and more fertile.
- ElenaEs gracias a la calidad del humus.It is thanks to the quality of the humus.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “humus” translations and entries humus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
