A perfectly clear glass filled with refreshing, still water, sitting on a simple surface.

agua

/AH-gwah/

NounfA1

water?the liquid

Also:rain?when talking about precipitation,body of water?like a lake or sea, usually in plural 'aguas'

📝 In Action

Necesito un vaso de agua, por favor.

I need a glass of water, please.

El agua del mar está muy fría.

The sea water is very cold.

Las aguas del río Amazonas son caudalosas.

The waters of the Amazon River are mighty.

Cayó mucha agua durante la noche.

A lot of rain fell during the night.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

agua mineral – mineral water
agua con gas / agua sin gas – sparkling water / still water
agua del grifo – tap water
agua dulce / agua salada – freshwater / saltwater

Idioms & Expressions

estar con el agua al cuello – To be in big trouble, to be overwhelmed.
aguar la fiesta – To spoil the fun, to be a party pooper.
como agua de mayo – To be welcome, just what was needed.
hacerse la boca agua – To make one's mouth water.

💡 Grammar Points

The Tricky 'el agua'

Even though 'agua' is a feminine word (we say 'agua fría,' not 'frío'), we say 'el agua' in the singular. This is just a sound rule to avoid the two 'a' sounds of 'la agua' bumping into each other. When it's plural, it goes back to the normal feminine form: 'las aguas'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'la' instead of 'el'

Mistake: "Quiero la agua, por favor."

Correction: Quiero el agua, por favor. Remember, for singular feminine words that start with a stressed 'a' sound (like Á-gua or Á-guila), we use 'el' to make it flow better. But any words describing it stay feminine: 'el agua fría'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Plural 'Aguas'

Using the plural, 'las aguas', often refers to large, undefined bodies of water like 'the waters of the Caribbean' ('las aguas del Caribe'). It can also be used figuratively to mean 'a situation', like in 'calmar las aguas' (to calm things down).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: agua

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

acuático(aquatic) - adjective

paraguas(umbrella) - noun

desagüe(drain) - noun

aguar(to water down) - verb

aguacero(downpour) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I hear 'el agua' but 'las aguas'? I thought 'agua' was a feminine word.

You are right, 'agua' is 100% feminine! The switch to 'el' in the singular ('el agua') is purely for sound. Spanish avoids putting 'la' right before a feminine word that starts with a stressed 'a' sound. It just flows better. This rule only applies to the singular form, so in plural, it goes back to the normal feminine 'las aguas'.

If I see 'el', how do I know if a word is masculine or feminine?

That's a great question! For words like 'agua' or 'águila' (eagle), you have to look at the words that describe them. We say 'el agua fría' (the cold water), not 'frío'. The descriptive word ('fría') tells you the noun's true gender is feminine. Most nouns ending in '-a' are feminine, and this 'el' rule is an exception for a small group of them.