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bombas

BOHM-bahs/ˈbombas/

bombs

Also: explosives
NounfB1
Three spherical, black cartoon bombs with burning fuses stacked on a flat surface.

📝 In Action

Las noticias reportaron que explotaron dos bombas en la capital.

B1

The news reported that two bombs exploded in the capital.

El equipo de seguridad desactivó las bombas a tiempo.

B2

The security team deactivated the bombs in time.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • lanzar bombas – to drop/throw bombs
  • desactivar bombas – to deactivate bombs

pumps

Also: fire engines, cream puffs
NounfA2
Mexico / Central America
A bright red manual water pump with a long handle, actively pumping a stream of water into a metal bucket sitting on the ground.

📝 In Action

Las bombas de agua están funcionando muy bien en el jardín.

A2

The water pumps are working very well in the garden.

Necesitas inflar las llantas, ¿dónde están las bombas de aire?

A2

You need to inflate the tires, where are the air pumps?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • bombear (to pump)

Common Collocations

  • bombas de gasolina – gas pumps
  • bombas de incendio – fire pumps

short verses

Also: fireworks
NounfC1informal
Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Cuba)
A smiling person standing outdoors under palm trees, speaking animatedly. Colorful musical notes and stylized hearts float out from their mouth, representing poetry and verses.

📝 In Action

Durante el baile, el poeta interrumpió la música para recitar varias bombas.

C1

During the dance, the poet interrupted the music to recite several improvised verses.

La celebración terminó con un espectáculo de bombas de colores.

B2

The celebration ended with a show of colorful fireworks.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • versos (verses)

Idioms & Expressions

  • ¡Qué bombas! – That's fantastic! / That's amazing news!

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: bombas

Question 1 of 2

Which meaning of 'bombas' is used in the following sentence: 'Tuvimos que reemplazar las bombas que sacan el agua del pozo.'

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
bomba(bomb / pump) — Noun
bombear(to pump) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
sombrasalfombras
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the Latin word *bombus*, which meant a deep, booming, or buzzing sound, similar to a loud drum. This sound connection led to its use for explosives and later for the forceful action of a pump.

First recorded: 15th century (related to sound/explosion)

Cognates (Related words)

English: bombFrench: bombe

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'bombas' always feminine?

Yes, 'bombas' is the plural of the noun 'bomba,' which is always feminine. This means you must use feminine words like 'las' and feminine adjectives with it.

How can I tell if someone is talking about explosives or pumps?

Look at the surrounding words! If they mention water, air, or gasoline, they mean 'pumps.' If they mention police, danger, war, or deactivation, they mean 'explosives.'