Spanish word

fondo

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈfondo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounbottom

Example

El vaso tiene agua hasta el fondo.

There is water in the glass up to the bottom.

Illustration for fondo (bottom)

More examples

Se oía música de fondo en la cafetería.

There was background music in the café.

Core concept

Lowest internal surface of a container, ground, or object.

Common phrases

  • al fondo

    at the rear

  • en el fondo

    in the back

  • música de fondo

    background music

Similar words

base: Supporting part at the foundation of a structure or object.
suelo: Surface inside a building or the outdoor ground that people walk on.
capital: Money or funds used to start, run, or invest in a business or activity.
trasfondo: Underlying circumstances or context behind an event, story, or situation.

Definition in Spanish

Zona o superficie inferior de un recipiente, terreno o cuerpo; en sentido figurado, la base o fundamento de una idea o situación y, en contexto económico, los fondos.

Word origin

Spanish fondo derives from Latin fundus and passed through Old Spanish, where its literal 'bottom' sense broadened to include base, background, and financial resources.

Usage tips

  • Distinguish al fondo ('at the back' or 'at the bottom'), a fondo ('thoroughly'), and fondos ('funds'), and note that fondo can also mean a visual background as in fondo de pantalla.

Other meanings

  • backgroundnoun
  • fundsnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word