azúcar
ah-ZOO-car (stress on the second syllable)
📝 In Action
Necesito un poco de azúcar para mi café.
A1I need a little sugar for my coffee.
El pastel tiene demasiada azúcar, está muy dulce.
A2The cake has too much sugar; it is very sweet.
Debes reducir el consumo de azúcar si quieres estar más sano.
B1You should reduce your sugar consumption if you want to be healthier.
💡 Grammar Points
Uncountable Noun
Like in English, 'azúcar' is usually treated as an uncountable noun (a substance), so you use words like 'un poco de' (a little bit of) or 'mucha' (a lot of) before it, not numbers.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Gender
Mistake: "Using 'la azúcar' and forgetting to match the adjective: 'la azúcar blanco'."
Correction: The word is technically masculine ('el azúcar'), but because it starts with a strong 'A' sound, people often use the feminine article 'la' (just like 'el agua'). When you use 'la', remember the adjective should still be masculine: 'la azúcar blanco' or 'el azúcar blanco'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Asking for Sugar
If you are in a café and want sugar, simply ask: '¿Me puedes dar azúcar, por favor?' (Can you give me sugar, please?).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: azúcar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly describes the gender usage of 'azúcar'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Es 'azúcar' masculino o femenino?
Tradicionalmente, es un sustantivo masculino ('el azúcar'). Sin embargo, es muy común escuchar 'la azúcar' en muchas regiones. Si usas 'la', recuerda que los adjetivos que lo acompañen deben seguir siendo masculinos (ej: 'la azúcar moreno').
How do I say 'a spoonful of sugar'?
You would say: 'una cucharada de azúcar'. Since 'azúcar' is uncountable, you use a unit of measure ('cucharada') to quantify it.