Spanish Conversation · Level 11
90 words
Spanish word
petardo
Pronunciation
IPA/peˈtaɾðo/
Meaning
- masculine nounfirecracker
Example
Los niños jugaron con petardos en la plaza.
The children played with firecrackers in the square.
More examples
Los vecinos prohibieron tirar petardos por la noche.
The neighbors banned setting off firecrackers at night.
Core concept
Short-duration firework that detonates with noise and sometimes fragments.
Common phrases
tirar petardos
setting off firecrackers
encender petardos
lighting firecrackers
comprar petardos
buying firecrackers
Similar words
fuego artificial: Produces colorful lights and visual effects by burning pyrotechnic powder.
cohete: Launches from the ground and ascends into the sky, then bursts to display lights or sound.
Definition in Spanish
Artefacto pirotécnico de corta duración que explota produciendo ruido y a veces fragmentos, utilizado en festejos; en sentido coloquial, fracaso o persona aburrida.
Word origin
Borrowed from French pétard, itself from a verb related to Latin pedere meaning 'to break wind', the term emphasizes the bursting sound of the device.
Usage tips
- Masculine noun: use el/los (el petardo, los petardos), and when used to mean 'a boring person' it commonly appears with ser as in 'es un petardo' rather than estar.