el cielo es azul
/el θjelo es aθul/from spelling rules
The English phrase "the sky is blue" is translated into Spanish as el cielo es azul.
This phrase is a simple statement used to describe the color of the sky.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of el (the), cielo (sky), es (is) and azul (blue).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, you can replace cielo with firmamento to add a poetic touch to your speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective azul is singular to agree with the singular subject el cielo. If the subject is pluralized to los cielos, the verb changes to son and the adjective changes to azules. The verb es (from ser) is used instead of está (from estar) because the color is being described as an inherent characteristic of the sky in this context.
How do you pronounce it?
/el θjelo es aθul/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word cielo is also used as a term of endearment, much like how English speakers use 'heaven' or 'sky' in poetic contexts. You might hear someone call a loved one mi cielo.
- The word azul actually traces its origins back to the precious stone lapis lazuli. It entered Spanish via the Arabic word for that specific blue gemstone.
- In Spanish, using ser in el cielo es azul implies the sky is blue by its very nature. If a speaker used está instead, it would suggest the sky is blue only temporarily or unusually today.
Examples in context
- El cielo es azul.The sky is blue.This sentence is a simple statement of the phrase el cielo es azul.Tatoeba #539388 by Shishir, translation #18275 by CK
- ¿Sabes por qué el cielo es azul?Do you know why the sky is blue?This sentence shows how to ask a question containing el cielo es azul.Tatoeba #1271548 by Silvestre, translation #36403 by CK
- El cielo es azul, el mar también es azul. El cielo y el mar son azules.The sky is blue, the sea is also blue. The sky and the sea are blue.This sentence demonstrates how the plural forms change when discussing the sky and the sea together.Tatoeba #1503638 by alexmarcelo, translation #1499932 by vivace160
- El cielo despejado es azulThe clear sky is blue
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are sitting on a park bench on a clear day.
- AlejandroMira, el cielo es azul hoy.Look, the sky is blue today.
- ElenaSí, es un día muy bonito.Yes, it is a very beautiful day.
- AlejandroMe encanta cuando el cielo es azul así.I love it when the sky is blue like this.
- ElenaA mí también, Alejandro.Me too, Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries azul, cielo, el, es, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
