carbón
/car-BOHN/
coal
Carbón as raw material or fuel (coal).
📝 In Action
La central eléctrica quema carbón para producir electricidad.
B1The power plant burns coal to produce electricity.
El carbón es una fuente de energía no renovable.
A2Coal is a non-renewable energy source.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Masculine
Even though it ends in 'n', 'carbón' is always a masculine word, so you must use 'el carbón'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
When talking about industrial fuel, 'carbón' is the standard term. For grilling, you might specify 'carbón vegetal' (charcoal).
Carbón used for grilling (charcoal).
📝 In Action
Compramos una bolsa de carbón para hacer la parrillada.
B1We bought a bag of charcoal to do the barbecue.
El artista hizo un boceto rápido con un trozo de carbón.
B2The artist made a quick sketch with a piece of charcoal.
💡 Grammar Points
Adding the Detail
To be perfectly clear you mean charcoal (made from wood), you can say 'carbón vegetal'. If you just say 'carbón' in a grilling context, people will understand you mean charcoal.
Carbón as a symbolic lump of coal (gift for naughty children).
carbón(noun)
lump of coal
?symbolic gift for naughty children
candy coal
?a sweet treat shaped like coal
📝 In Action
Si no ordenan sus juguetes, Santa Claus les traerá carbón.
B1If you don't tidy your toys, Santa Claus will bring you coal.
De pequeño me asustaba recibir carbón en lugar de regalos.
B2As a child, I was scared of receiving coal instead of presents.
⭐ Usage Tips
Cultural Note
This meaning is strongly linked to Spanish Christmas traditions (The Three Kings/Reyes Magos) and sometimes the Santa Claus tradition, where receiving coal symbolizes being naughty.
Carbón as the chemical element carbon (represented by a diamond).
📝 In Action
El diamante es una forma cristalina del carbón puro.
C1Diamond is a crystalline form of pure carbon.
La datación por carbono 14 es un método arqueológico común.
C2Carbon-14 dating is a common archaeological method.
⭐ Usage Tips
Scientific Context
When used in chemistry or environmental science, 'carbón' refers to the element. Note that compounds often use the root 'carbono' (e.g., dióxido de carbono).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: carbón
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'carbón' to refer to a festive tradition, rather than a material?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'carbón' the same as 'carbono'?
They are very similar, but usually, 'carbón' refers to the physical material (coal, charcoal). 'Carbono' is reserved for the chemical element (C), especially when discussing compounds like 'carbon dioxide'.
How do I ask for charcoal for a barbecue?
You can simply say, 'Necesito carbón' (I need coal/charcoal), and people will usually assume you mean charcoal for grilling. To be precise, you can say 'carbón vegetal' (vegetable charcoal).