aspiración
“aspiración” means “aspiration” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
aspiration, ambition
Also: dream, aim
📝 In Action
Mi mayor aspiración es viajar por todo el mundo.
A2My greatest aspiration is to travel the whole world.
El joven tiene aspiraciones políticas muy claras.
B2The young man has very clear political ambitions.
Es importante tener aspiraciones para crecer como persona.
B1It is important to have goals to grow as a person.
suction, inhalation
Also: intake
📝 In Action
La aspiración de humo es perjudicial para la salud.
B1Inhaling smoke is harmful to your health.
El motor tiene un conducto para la aspiración de aire.
C1The engine has a duct for air intake.
El dentista usó un tubo de aspiración durante la limpieza.
B2The dentist used a suction tube during the cleaning.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: aspiración
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is a correct way to say 'high ambitions' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'aspiratio', which means 'the act of breathing upon' or 'a desire'. It combines 'ad' (towards) and 'spirare' (to breathe).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'aspiración' always feminine?
Yes! Every single word in Spanish that ends in '-ción' is feminine, so you always use 'la' or 'una'.
What is the difference between 'aspiración' and 'meta'?
A 'meta' is a specific finish line or target (like 'I want to finish this book'), whereas 'aspiración' is often a bigger, broader life dream or desire.
Can 'aspiración' be used to describe breathing sounds?
Yes, in linguistics, it refers to the 'h' sound produced by a puff of air, which is common in some Spanish accents when pronouncing the letter 's'.