chispa
/ˈt͡ʃispa/feminine
The Spanish word for spark is chispa. Wiktionary also lists centella.
Meaning: burst of electrical discharge (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| chispa | /ˈt͡ʃispa/ | feminine |
| centella | /θenˈteʝa/ | feminine |
The term refers to a burst of electrical discharge. Related verbs include chispear and chisporrotear, which mean to give off sparks. If you want to express the idea of triggering or kindling something into activity, you can use the verbs generar or crear.
Which one should you use?
While both words mean spark, chispa is the standard, everyday term for a physical spark. In contrast, centella is more literary or refers to a larger, more brilliant flash of light.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun chispa is feminine, so it must be used with feminine articles such as la or unas. The verb chisporrotear is used specifically to describe the action of something sparking or crackling, such as a fire or an electrical short circuit.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃispa/
Did you know?
- The verb chispear can actually be used to describe a light rain, behaving like the English 'to sprinkle'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling someone a chispa or saying they have 'chispa' implies they are witty, lively, or clever.
- The word centella is a direct linguistic descendant of the Latin word scintilla, which is the ancestor of the English word 'scintillate'.
Examples in context
- Sacó una chispa del pedernal.He struck a spark from the flint.This sentence is useful for showing how to use chispa when describing striking a spark from flint.Tatoeba #11032960 by carlosalberto, translation #11032934 by carlosalberto
- La chispa del amor encendió sus corazonesThe spark of love ignited their hearts.
- ¡Tienes mucha chispita!You have a lot of spark!
- El chispazo eléctrico apagó las lucesThe electric spark turned off the lights.
- Vi una chispa salir del cable.I saw a spark come out of the cable.
- La chispa causó un pequeño incendio.The spark caused a small fire.
Example conversation
Alejandro is fixing a broken lamp in the living room.
- Elena¿Estás bien, Alejandro?Are you okay, Alejandro?
- AlejandroSí, pero saltó una chispa en la lámpara.Yes, but a spark jumped in the lamp.
- Elena¡Ten mucho cuidado con esa chispa!Be very careful with that spark!
- AlejandroNo te preocupes, Elena, ya terminé.Don't worry, Elena, I'm finished now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spark” translations and entries chispa, centella, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries centella, chispa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
