Spanish Conversation · Level 61
76 words
Spanish word
ortiga
Pronunciation
IPA/oɾˈtiɣa/
Meaning
- feminine nounnettle
Example
Cuidado con las ortigas en el jardín.
Watch out for the nettles in the garden.
More examples
Me ardió la piel al tocar una ortiga.
My skin burned when touching a nettle.
Core concept
Green herbaceous plant with serrated leaves covered in stinging hairs that cause a painful, burning itch.
Common phrases
tocar una ortiga
touching a nettle
picadura de ortiga
nettle sting
Definition in Spanish
Planta, a menudo perenne, cuyas hojas suelen tener pelos que al contacto causan escozor, picor y sensación de ardor.
Word origin
Borrowed through Old Spanish from Latin urtica, itself from urere 'to burn', a root used for words describing burning or stinging feeling.
Usage tips
- In some regions nettles are eaten cooked as a wild green, so on menus or in recipes 'ortigas' can refer to a food ingredient rather than an injury.
Other meanings
- stinging nettlenoun