aterrizaje
a-teh-rree-SAH-heh
📝 In Action
El piloto anunció que el aterrizaje sería en diez minutos.
A2The pilot announced that the landing would be in ten minutes.
La pista de aterrizaje estaba cubierta de nieve, lo que causó retrasos.
B1The landing strip was covered in snow, which caused delays.
Tuvieron que realizar un aterrizaje de emergencia por fallas técnicas.
B2They had to carry out an emergency landing due to technical failures.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Rule
As a masculine noun, 'aterrizaje' always uses the article 'el' (el aterrizaje) and requires masculine adjectives (un aterrizaje perfecto).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing the Verb and Noun
Mistake: "Using 'aterrizar' when referring to the event: 'El aterrizar fue difícil.'"
Correction: Use the noun 'aterrizaje': 'El aterrizaje fue difícil.' (The landing was difficult.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Recognizing the Suffix
The suffix '-aje' is often used in Spanish to turn an action into a noun, similar to '-ing' in English (e.g., 'lavar' is to wash, 'lavaje' is the washing).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: aterrizaje
Question 1 of 2
Which word is the verb form of 'aterrizaje'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I say 'takeoff' in Spanish?
The opposite of 'aterrizaje' (landing) is 'despegue' (takeoff). Both words follow the pattern of converting a verb ('despegar' or 'aterrizar') into a masculine noun using the suffix '-e' or '-aje'.
Does 'aterrizaje' only refer to planes?
While it is most common for airplanes, it can also refer to spacecraft (e.g., lunar landing) or, metaphorically, the sudden arrival of a person or idea into a new place.