Spanish word

cueva

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈkweβa/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncave

Example

¿Has visitado la cueva del parque?

Have you visited the cave in the park?

Illustration for cueva (cave)

More examples

Entramos a explorar la cueva después de la lluvia.

We went in to explore the cave after the rain.

Core concept

Natural grotto-like cavity in stone or earth with an accessible interior.

Common phrases

  • entrar en la cueva

    enter the cave

  • visitar la cueva

    visit the cave

  • explorar la cueva

    explore the cave

Similar words

gruta: Relatively small sheltered cavity in rock, often a shallow grotto with stalactites.
caverna: Spacious, deep underground cave forming large chambers and extended passages.
cavidad: Hollow space or cavity inside a material object or landform, often small or irregular.

Definition in Spanish

Hueco natural en la roca o bajo tierra, normalmente mayor que un agujero y con espacio interior accesible desde fuera.

Word origin

The word cueva comes from Latin cavea 'hollow' through Old Spanish and names naturally formed chambers or cavities in rock or soil that can be entered.

Usage tips

  • Spanish speakers reserve cueva for naturally formed cavities, while man-made underground spaces are more often called sótano, bodega, or búnker depending on their function.

Other meanings

  • grottonoun

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