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mina

MEE-nah/ˈmina/

mine, pit

Ook: vein
A storybook illustration showing the dark entrance to a mine shaft carved into a mountain.

📝 In Actie

La mina de carbón cerró el año pasado por falta de recursos.

B1

The coal mine closed last year due to lack of resources.

Dicen que el pueblo se fundó cerca de una antigua mina de plata.

B1

They say the town was founded near an old silver mine.

Woordverbindingen

Synoniemen

  • yacimiento (deposit)
  • excavación (excavation)

Veelvoorkomende Collocaties

  • mina de oro – gold mine
  • minero de la mina – mine worker

Idiomen & Uitdrukkingen

  • ser una mina de oro – to be a source of great wealth or success

pencil lead, lead

Ook: refill
A simple illustration showing several small, cylindrical sticks of black pencil lead (graphite refills).

📝 In Actie

Se me acabó la mina del portaminas.

A2

I ran out of lead in my mechanical pencil.

Necesitas comprar minas más gruesas para dibujar.

B1

You need to buy thicker leads for drawing.

Woordverbindingen

Synoniemen

  • grafito (graphite)

Veelvoorkomende Collocaties

  • mina de 0.5 mm – 0.5 mm lead

landmine, mine

Ook: bomb
A storybook illustration of a round, green landmine partially hidden beneath brown soil.

📝 In Actie

El equipo de desminado encontró una mina cerca del camino.

B2

The demining team found a mine near the road.

Es una zona peligrosa porque todavía hay minas sin explotar.

B2

It's a dangerous area because there are still unexploded mines.

Woordverbindingen

Synoniemen

Veelvoorkomende Collocaties

  • mina antipersona – anti-personnel mine

girl, chick

Ook: babe
ArgentinaUruguayChile
A bright, colorful illustration of a smiling young girl standing in a simple dress.

📝 In Actie

Qué buena mina, siempre tiene una sonrisa.

B2

What a nice girl, she always has a smile. (Argentina/Uruguay)

¿Viste a la mina nueva que trabaja en la tienda?

C1

Did you see the new girl working at the store? (Chile)

Woordverbindingen

Synoniemen

  • chica (girl)
  • mujer (woman)
  • piba (girl (Argentina slang))

Veelvoorkomende Collocaties

  • una buena mina – a good girl/person

✏️ Snelle oefening

Snelle Quiz: mina

Vraag 1 van 2

Which meaning of 'mina' is highly localized to Argentina and Uruguay?

📚 Meer bronnen

👥 Woordfamilie▼
minero(miner) — Zelfstandig naamwoord
minería(mining) — Zelfstandig naamwoord
portaminas(mechanical pencil) — Zelfstandig naamwoord
🎵 Rijmwoorden▼
📚 Etymologie▼

The word comes from a Medieval Latin root, *mina*, which meant 'vein of ore' or 'subterranean passage.' This is related to the French word *mine*, giving rise to the meanings related to excavation and explosives. The slang meaning ('girl') is a much more recent, localized development, likely coming from the phrase 'ser una mina de oro' (to be a gold mine) meaning she is valuable or attractive.

Eerste vermelding: 13th century (in the sense of excavation)

Cognaten (Verwante woorden)

French: mineItalian: mina

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Veelgestelde Vragen

Is 'mina' a polite word for a woman?

No. In Spanish-speaking countries outside of the Southern Cone (Argentina, Uruguay), 'mina' is primarily understood as 'mine' or 'explosive.' Even where it means 'girl,' it's informal slang. Stick to 'chica' or 'mujer' for neutral or formal contexts.

¿Cuál es el plural de 'mina'?

The plural is simple: 'minas'. For example, 'Hay dos minas de plata en esta región' (There are two silver mines in this region).