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accidente

ak-see-DEN-tayak.siˈðen.te

accident

Also: crash, mishap
NounmA2
A simple illustration of a minor traffic accident where two cartoon cars have lightly bumped each other on a street, showing surprise but no severe damage.

📝 In Action

Tuve un pequeño accidente en la cocina y me quemé la mano.

A2

I had a little accident in the kitchen and burned my hand.

El tráfico está terrible por un accidente en la autopista.

B1

The traffic is terrible because of an accident on the highway.

Fue un accidente, no lo hizo a propósito.

B1

It was an accident, he didn't do it on purpose.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • accidente de tráfico – traffic accident
  • accidente laboral – workplace accident
  • sufrir un accidente – to have/suffer an accident
  • por accidente – by accident

chance

Also: coincidence, fluke
NounmB2formal
An illustration showing a winding river and a separate hiking trail unexpectedly converging into a single point in a green valley, symbolizing chance or coincidence.

📝 In Action

Nuestro encuentro no fue planeado, fue un simple accidente del destino.

B2

Our meeting wasn't planned, it was a simple accident of fate.

En la filosofía, se distingue entre la esencia y el accidente.

C1

In philosophy, a distinction is made between essence and accident (a non-essential property).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • un feliz accidente – a happy accident

event

Also: feature
NounmB2formal
A colorful illustration of a dramatic, sharp mountain range rising abruptly from a flat plain, representing a geographical feature.

📝 In Action

Mi abuelo sufrió un accidente cerebrovascular el año pasado.

C1

My grandfather suffered a cerebrovascular accident (a stroke) last year.

El guía nos señaló los principales accidentes geográficos del valle.

B2

The guide pointed out the main geographical features of the valley.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • accidente cerebrovascular – stroke
  • accidente geográfico – geographical feature, landform

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: accidente

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'accidente' to mean a 'mishap' or 'crash'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
accidental(accidental) — Adjective
accidentado(hilly, uneven; eventful) — Adjective
accidentarse(to have an accident) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'accidens', which means 'happening' or 'falling upon'. It's built from 'ad-' (to, toward) and 'cadere' (to fall). The idea is something that 'falls upon' you unexpectedly.

First recorded: Around the 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: accidentFrench: accidentItalian: accidente

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'accidente' and 'incidente'?

They are similar, but 'accidente' usually implies something negative, often with damage or injury (like a car crash). An 'incidente' is a more general term for any event or occurrence, which could be minor or neutral. For example, a disagreement at work is an 'incidente', not usually an 'accidente'.

How do I say 'I had an accident' in Spanish?

The most common way is 'Tuve un accidente'. You can also use the reflexive verb 'Me accidenté', which means something like 'I got into an accident'.