ala
“ala” means “wing” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
wing
Also: airfoil
📝 In Action
El águila extendió sus alas antes de volar.
A1The eagle spread its wings before flying.
Necesitamos revisar el ala derecha del avión.
A2We need to check the right wing of the plane.
flank, wing
Also: side
📝 In Action
El entrenador puso al jugador más rápido en el ala izquierda.
B1The coach put the fastest player on the left wing.
El partido político tiene una ala más conservadora.
B2The political party has a more conservative flank (or wing).
wing
Also: section, ward
📝 In Action
Tuvimos que ir a la nueva ala de la biblioteca.
B1We had to go to the new wing of the library.
El hospital inauguró el ala de pediatría el mes pasado.
B2The hospital inaugurated the pediatrics wing last month.
Vocabulary Collections
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ala
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the article for the singular noun 'ala'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word *ala*, which meant 'wing' or 'armpit.' It has maintained its core meaning related to flight and appendages throughout history.
First recorded: Old Spanish (around 13th century)
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I see 'el ala' if 'ala' is a feminine noun?
This is a special rule in Spanish! When a feminine noun starts with a stressed 'a' sound (like *agua*, *águila*, or *ala*), we use the masculine singular article 'el' instead of 'la' to avoid awkward repetition of the 'a' sound. However, the word itself remains feminine, so any adjectives describing it must also be feminine (e.g., *el ala **derecha**).