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agallas

/ah-GAH-yas/

guts

A tiny, brave mouse standing confidently on the ground before a large, gentle dog, symbolizing courage.

Agallas, meaning 'guts' or 'courage'.

agallas(noun)

fB2

guts

?

courage, bravery

,

nerve

?

daring

Also:

grit

?

determination

📝 In Action

Para enfrentarte a ese jefe, necesitas tener muchas agallas.

B2

To face that boss, you need to have a lot of guts.

No tuvo las agallas de decirle la verdad.

B2

He didn't have the nerve (or guts) to tell her the truth.

Ella demostró sus agallas al saltar en paracaídas por primera vez.

C1

She showed her grit by skydiving for the first time.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • valentía (bravery)
  • coraje (courage)
  • osadía (daring)

Antonyms

  • cobardía (cowardice)

Common Collocations

  • tener agallas – to have guts/nerve
  • demostrar agallas – to show grit

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser un hombre/mujer de agallas – to be a person of great courage

💡 Grammar Points

Always Plural

This figurative meaning is almost always used in the plural form: 'las agallas'. You rarely hear 'una agalla' in this context.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Gills and Courage

Mistake: "Using 'agallas' in a formal or technical setting when referring to courage (e.g., in a legal report)."

Correction: Use 'valentía' or 'coraje' for formal contexts; save 'agallas' for casual conversation.

⭐ Usage Tips

Using 'Tener'

The most common way to use this word is with the verb 'tener' (to have): 'Tienes agallas' means 'You have guts.'

A close-up profile view of a vibrant orange fish head underwater, clearly showing the red, feathery gills visible beneath the gill cover.

Agallas, meaning 'gills', the respiratory organs of a fish.

agallas(noun)

fB1

gills

?

fish respiratory organs

Also:

gallnut

?

plant growth/excrescence (less common meaning)

📝 In Action

Las agallas del pez son de color rojo brillante.

A2

The fish's gills are bright red.

El pescador revisó las agallas para ver si el pescado estaba fresco.

B1

The fisherman checked the gills to see if the fish was fresh.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • branquias (gills (more technical term))

Common Collocations

  • respirar por las agallas – to breathe through the gills

💡 Grammar Points

Anatomy Terminology

In biology, 'agallas' refers specifically to the organs fish use to breathe underwater. It is usually used in the plural.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: agallas

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'agallas' in its figurative, informal meaning?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

agallado(gilled; full of galls) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'agallas' considered a rude word?

No. While it is highly informal, it is not considered rude or vulgar. It's a colorful, common way to talk about bravery, similar to saying 'guts' or 'nerve' in English.

Can I use 'agallas' in the singular?

For the meaning of courage, almost never. Always use 'tener agallas' (plural). For the literal meaning of a fish's gill, you technically *could* say 'una agalla' (one gill), but it is far more common to refer to them as a pair or group ('las agallas').