Spanish Conversation · Level 56
72 words
Spanish word
catástrofe
Pronunciation
IPA/kaˈtastɾofe/
Meaning
- feminine noundisaster
Example
La catástrofe dejó a muchas personas sin hogar.
The disaster left many people homeless.
More examples
¿Cómo podemos evitar otra catástrofe?
How can we avoid another disaster?
Core concept
Widespread ruin affecting people, property, and the environment.
Common phrases
prevenir una catástrofe
prevent a disaster
catástrofe humanitaria
humanitarian disaster
catástrofe ecológica
ecological disaster
Similar words
desastre: Serious event that causes large-scale damage or disruption to daily life and services.
tragedia: Extremely sad event that produces many deaths and deep grief.
accidente: Unexpected event that produces injury or damage to people or things.
emergencia: Sudden dangerous situation requiring immediate response to protect people or property.
Definition in Spanish
Suceso grave que causa daños extensos a personas, bienes o al entorno.
Word origin
From Greek katastrophē ('down' + 'turning'), the word enters Spanish to name events that overturn normal life.
Usage tips
- Stronger than desastre, catástrofe signals very large-scale harm to people, property, or the environment rather than a minor calamity.
Other meanings
- tragedynoun
- calamitynoun
Opposites
- éxitosuccessnoun
Related words
- catastróficocatastrophicadjective
- catastróficamentecatastrophicallyadverb