cenizas
/seh-NEE-sas/
ashes
The literal residue of combustion, cenizas (ashes).
cenizas(noun)
ashes
?residue of combustion
,ash
?as a collective substance
cinder
?small piece of burnt material
📝 In Action
Después del incendio, solo quedaron cenizas.
A2After the fire, only ashes remained.
Hay que limpiar las cenizas de la chimenea.
A2We need to clean the ashes out of the fireplace.
La erupción cubrió el pueblo con cenizas volcánicas.
B1The eruption covered the town with volcanic ash.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Plural
In Spanish, 'cenizas' is almost always used in the plural form, even if you are referring to a single mass of ash.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Singular
Mistake: "Poner la ceniza en el cubo."
Correction: Poner las cenizas en el cubo. (The plural form is standard for the substance.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Volcanic Ash
When talking about ash from a volcano, use 'cenizas volcánicas' (plural).
Metaphorically, cenizas can refer to ruins or the remnants of destruction.
📝 In Action
Toda su empresa quedó reducida a cenizas tras la crisis económica.
B2His entire company was reduced to ruins (ashes) after the economic crisis.
Solo quedan cenizas de lo que fue su gran amor.
C1Only the remnants (ashes) remain of what was once their great love.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
This meaning is often used with verbs like 'reducir' (to reduce) or 'quedar' (to remain) to describe complete failure or destruction.
⭐ Usage Tips
Emotional Context
In emotional contexts, 'cenizas' suggests something that has been completely destroyed and cannot be recovered.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cenizas
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'cenizas' in its literal meaning?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Por qué 'cenizas' es plural si en inglés se puede decir 'ash' (singular)?
In Spanish, the substance (ash) is almost always treated as a collection of particles, so it is naturally used in the plural form, 'cenizas.' Think of it like the English word 'belongings' or 'trousers,' which are always plural.
If I only want to refer to a single piece of ash, what should I say?
You would typically use the singular form, 'una ceniza,' but this is much less common. For the substance generally, stick with the plural 'cenizas.'