moho
/ˈmoo/masculine
The Spanish word for mildew is moho. It is also spelled mildiú or mildéu. Wiktionary also lists mildiu.
Meaning: growth of minute fungi (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| moho | /ˈmoo/ | masculine |
| mildiu | /ˈmildju/ /ˈmildiu/ |
masculine |
| mildiú | /milˈdju/ | masculine, alternative form |
| mildéu | /milˈdeu/ | masculine, alternative form |
| mildíu | /milˈdiu/ | Spain, masculine, alternative form |
| mildeu | /ˈmildeu/ | Spain, masculine, alternative form |
| mildio | /mildjo/ (from spelling rules) | Spain, masculine, alternative form |
Moho is the most common way to refer to the growth of fungi on bread, walls or organic matter in everyday conversation. To describe something as being covered in mold, use the adjective mohoso.
Which one should you use?
Use moho for general mold or mildew found on food or surfaces, whereas mildiu is a specific technical term for a type of plant disease. The forms mildiú and mildéu are alternative spellings of mildiu. In Spain, you may also encounter the alternative spellings mildíu, mildeu or mildio.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The spellings mildíu, mildeu and mildio are specific to Spain.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Moho is a masculine noun. The word moho is a masculine noun and requires the masculine article el when used in the singular.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmoo/
Did you know?
- While moho is a common household term, the adjective mohoso can be used metaphorically to describe a person who is 'rusty' or out of practice.
- While moho is the general term for mold, the specific technical term mildiu is actually a direct linguistic traveler from the English word 'mildew'.
- The word moho is thought by some linguists to be an 'expressive' word, created to mimic the sound or feeling of organic decay.
Examples in context
- El baño necesita una limpieza profunda debido al moho en las paredes.The bathroom needs a deep cleaning due to the mildew on the walls.
- Debemos solucionar el problema de la humedad por hongos en esta habitación.We need to address the problem of mildew-causing moisture in this room.
- Es mejor que limpies esa fruta, tiene un olor mohoso.It's better to clean that fruit, it has a moldy smell.
- Hay un poco de moho en la pared.There is a little bit of mildew on the wall.
- El moho arruinó la ropa vieja.The mildew ruined the old clothes.
- Debemos limpiar este moho del baño.We must clean this mildew from the bathroom.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are inspecting a damp basement.
- Alejandro¿Ves ese moho en el techo?Do you see that mildew on the ceiling?
- ElenaSí, es bastante peligroso, Alejandro.Yes, it is quite dangerous, Alejandro.
- AlejandroNecesito comprar productos para eliminarlo.I need to buy products to eliminate it.
- ElenaYo te ayudaré con la limpieza.I will help you with the cleaning.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mildew” translations and entries moho, mildiu, mildiú, mildéu, mildíu, mildeu, mildio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mildiu, moho, CC BY-SA 4.0.
