fósforo
/ˈfosfoɾo/masculine
The Spanish word for phosphorus is fósforo.
The word refers to the chemical element phosphorus.
Meaning: element (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
fósforo is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfosfoɾo/
Did you know?
- The Spanish fósforo is a cognate of the English word 'phosphorus', but it also relates to the name 'Phosphoros', the Greek personification of the morning star.
- The Spanish word fósforo shares the same root as the word for a 'matchstick', which is also fósforo. This is because matches create a small burst of light upon striking.
- While fósforo is standard for 'match' in many regions, speakers in Spain more commonly use cerilla, a word derived from 'cera' meaning 'wax'.
Examples in context
- Encendí un fósforo.I lit a match.
- El fósforo es un elemento químico.Phosphorus is a chemical element.
- El fósforo es necesario para el cuerpo.Phosphorus is necessary for the body.
- Estudiamos la estructura del fósforo en clase.We studied the structure of phosphorus in class.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are studying chemistry together.
- SofíaMateo, ¿cuál es el símbolo del fósforo?Mateo, what is the symbol for phosphorus?
- MateoEl símbolo del fósforo es la letra P.The symbol for phosphorus is the letter P.
- SofíaGracias, ahora puedo terminar el ejercicio.Thanks, now I can finish the exercise.
- MateoDe nada, Sofía. Yo también terminé.You're welcome, Sofía. I finished too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “phosphorus” translations and entries fósforo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
