Spanish Conversation · Level 143
45 words
Spanish word
inercia
Pronunciation
IPA/iˈneɾθja/
Meaning
- feminine nounforce of habit
Example
Sigo yendo al gimnasio por inercia.
I keep going to the gym out of force of habit.
More examples
Para mejorar, necesitamos romper la inercia del equipo.
To improve, we need to break the inertia in the team.
Core concept
A person performing a routine action automatically.
Common phrases
romper la inercia
break the inertia
salir de la inercia
get out of inertia
Similar words
hábito: An action repeated regularly that becomes part of everyday life.
rutina: A set sequence of actions that repeats in the same order on a regular basis.
costumbre: Long-established local or group practices shared and followed within a community.
Definition in Spanish
Resistencia al cambio que puede referirse tanto a la propiedad física de los cuerpos como al hábito de seguir actuando sin un nuevo impulso.
Word origin
From Latin inertia 'lack of activity' (from iners 'inactive'), the scientific term for physical inertia becomes a common metaphor for doing things by habit rather than by new intent.
Usage tips
- Common collocations are "seguir por inercia" and "hacerlo por inercia", which highlight lack of deliberate choice more than neutral "por hábito".