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catástrofe

ka-TAS-tro-fekaˈtastɾofe

“catástrofe” means “catastrophe” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

catastrophe

Also: disaster, calamity
NounfB1
A powerful storm with dark clouds and a large tree being knocked over by strong winds.

📝 In Action

El terremoto de ayer fue una verdadera catástrofe para la ciudad.

B1

Yesterday's earthquake was a true catastrophe for the city.

Debemos actuar ahora para evitar una catástrofe ambiental.

B2

We must act now to avoid an environmental disaster.

La guerra provocó una catástrofe humanitaria sin precedentes.

C1

The war caused an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • bendición (blessing)
  • éxito (success)

Common Collocations

  • catástrofe natural – natural disaster
  • evitar una catástrofe – to avoid a catastrophe
  • zona de catástrofe – disaster zone

mess

Also: failure, train wreck
NounfB2informal
A spilled bucket of bright blue paint creating a large puddle on a clean wooden floor.

📝 In Action

Mi primera cita fue una catástrofe; se me olvidó la cartera.

B1

My first date was a disaster; I forgot my wallet.

La fiesta terminó siendo una catástrofe total.

B2

The party ended up being a total mess.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • fracaso (failure)
  • lío (mess/tangle)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • ser una catástrofe – to be a disaster/mess

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "catástrofe" in Spanish:

train wreck→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: catástrofe

Question 1 of 3

Which article should you use with 'catástrofe'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
catastrófico(catastrophic) — Adjective
catastrofismo(catastrophism (pessimistic outlook)) — Noun
catastrofista(doomsayer / pessimistic) — Noun / Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
apóstrofe
📚 Etymology▼

From Greek 'katastrophē', which combined 'kata' (down) and 'strephein' (to turn). It literally meant a 'down-turning' or a sudden undoing.

First recorded: 16th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: catastropheFrench: catastropheItalian: catastrofe

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'catástrofe' only for natural disasters?

No, it can be used for financial collapses, social tragedies, or even personal failures like a bad exam result.

What is the difference between 'desastre' and 'catástrofe'?

They are very similar, but 'catástrofe' often sounds slightly more serious or grander in scale than 'desastre'.

Does it have a plural form?

Yes, the plural is 'catástrofes'.