Spanish Conversation · Level 173
15 words
Spanish word
bacteria
Pronunciation
IPA/bakˈteɾja/
Meaning
- feminine nounbacteria
Example
Las bacterias ayudan a la digestión.
The bacteria help digestion.
More examples
Beber agua contaminada puede introducir bacterias en el cuerpo.
Drinking contaminated water can introduce bacteria into the body.
Core concept
Microscopic single-celled organisms.
Common phrases
bacterias en el agua
bacteria in the water
bacterias transmitidas por alimentos
foodborne bacteria
bacterias comunes
common bacteria
Similar words
microorganismo: Any organism too small to see without a microscope, from single cells to tiny multicellular life.
flora: A community of microorganisms that inhabit a particular place, such as soil or an organ.
microbiota: The community of microorganisms living in a specific body site, for example the gut or mouth.
germen: A microorganism that can invade a host and cause infection or start disease.
Definition in Spanish
Microorganismos diminutos, normalmente formados por una sola célula, capaces de vivir libremente, en comunidades o dentro de otros organismos.
Word origin
From Greek bakterion 'small rod' via scientific Latin bacterium, the term came into modern biological vocabulary to name these tiny microbes.
Usage tips
- Spanish bacteria is feminine and is the singular form, so una bacteria for one and las bacterias for many, unlike English where bacteria is usually plural and bacterium is the singular.
Related words
- antibacterianoantibacterialadjective
- bactericidabactericidenoun