avión de combate
/abjon de kombate/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'jet fighter' is translated into Spanish as avión de combate.
The term refers to a fighter aircraft equipped with one or more jet engines.
Meaning: fighter aircraft with one or more jet engines (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase avión de combate literally translates to 'airplane of combat'.
Which one should you use?
Caza is used as a shorthand in many military or technical contexts. For more precise or formal descriptions, you can use Caza a reacción or Avión de caza. Additionally, Avión militar de combate can be used to precisely describe a military combat aircraft, a category that includes jet fighters.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you may use avión de combate or Caza de reacción. In Latin America, the term Avión caza is commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, you pluralize the noun avión to aviones while keeping de combate unchanged, resulting in aviones de combate.
Did you know?
- The word avión is a loanword from French, which in turn derived it from the Latin word avis meaning 'bird'.
- The word caza used for a fighter jet is the same word Spanish speakers use for 'hunting'.
- While we call them jet fighters in English, a highly technical Spanish speaker might use the phrase avión a reacción to specifically emphasize the 'reaction' or jet propulsion.
Examples in context
- El avión de combate voló a gran velocidad.The jet fighter flew at high speed.
- El avión de combate es muy rápido.The jet fighter is very fast.
- Vimos un avión de combate en el cielo.We saw a jet fighter in the sky.
- Ese avión de combate es de última generación.That jet fighter is state-of-the-art.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are watching a documentary on television.
- Mateo¿Ese es un avión de combate?Is that a jet fighter?
- MaríaSí, es un modelo muy moderno.Yes, it is a very modern model.
- MateoParece un avión de combate increíble.It looks like an incredible jet fighter.
- MaríaEs impresionante verlo en la pantalla.It is impressive to see it on the screen.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries avión, combate, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
