armas

/AR-mas/

NounfA2

weapons?tools for fighting or defense

Also:arms?military equipment,tools?figurative, means to achieve something

📝 In Action

El museo tiene una colección de armas antiguas.

The museum has a collection of ancient weapons.

La policía encontró las armas en el coche.

The police found the weapons in the car.

Para tener éxito, tus mejores armas son la paciencia y el trabajo duro.

To succeed, your best tools (weapons) are patience and hard work.

Word Connections

Synonyms

armamento (armament)

Antonyms

paz (peace)
desarme (disarmament)

Common Collocations

armas de fuego – firearms
tomar las armas – to take up arms
deponer las armas – to lay down arms

Idioms & Expressions

ser un arma de doble filo – to be a double-edged sword
ser de armas tomar – to be feisty, formidable, or assertive

💡 Grammar Points

A Tricky Gender Rule

Even though 'arma' is a feminine word, in its singular form we say 'el arma'. This is a special rule to make the pronunciation flow better and avoid the 'a-a' sound of 'la arma'. In the plural, it goes back to normal: 'las armas'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Singular vs. Plural

Mistake: "La arma es peligrosa."

Correction: El arma es peligrosa. Remember that for singular feminine words starting with a stressed 'a' sound (like agua, alma, arma), you use 'el'. But any describing words still need to be feminine, like 'peligrosa'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Not Just for Fighting

Just like in English, 'armas' can be used figuratively to mean the 'tools' or 'means' you have to achieve a goal. For example, 'La educación es su mejor arma' means 'Education is his/her best weapon.'

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: armas

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'armas' to mean 'you assemble'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

arma(weapon, arm) - noun

armar(to arm, to assemble) - verb

armado/a(armed) - adjective

armadura(armor) - noun

armamento(armament, weaponry) - noun

desarmar(to disarm, to disassemble) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it 'el arma' but 'las armas'? I thought 'arma' was a feminine word.

You're right, 'arma' is feminine! Spanish has a special pronunciation rule for singular feminine words that start with a stressed 'a' sound (like A-gua or A-rma). To avoid the awkward 'la arma' sound, we use 'el' instead. This only happens in the singular. In the plural, it goes back to the normal feminine form: 'las armas'.

How can I tell if 'armas' means 'weapons' or 'you assemble'?

Context is everything! If 'armas' is the subject or object of a sentence (a thing), it means 'weapons'. For example, 'Veo las armas' (I see the weapons). If 'armas' comes right after 'tú' (or implies 'tú') and is the action of the sentence, it means 'you assemble'. For example, 'Tú armas el plan' (You put together the plan).