cometa
/koh-MEH-tah/
kite
A cometa (kite) is a classic flying toy often seen on windy days.
📝 In Action
Mi hermano pasó toda la tarde volando su cometa nueva.
A1My brother spent all afternoon flying his new kite.
Para volar un cometa necesitas mucho hilo y un buen viento.
A2To fly a kite you need a lot of string and a good wind.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Noun Ending in -a
Even though 'cometa' ends in -a, it is masculine, meaning you must use 'el' (the) and masculine adjectives with it: 'el cometa azul' (the blue kite).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Incorrect Gender
Mistake: "La cometa es grande."
Correction: El cometa es grande. (Remember it's masculine, 'el'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Regional Differences
While 'cometa' is understood everywhere, in many parts of Latin America (like Mexico and Argentina), people often use regional words like 'papalote' or 'barrilete' for the toy kite.
When referring to a celestial body, cometa means comet.
📝 In Action
El astrónomo descubrió un nuevo cometa en el sistema solar.
B1The astronomer discovered a new comet in the solar system.
El cometa Halley es visible desde la Tierra cada 75 años.
B2Halley's Comet is visible from Earth every 75 years.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
When you hear 'cometa' in a conversation about space, stars, or the night sky, it almost certainly means 'comet' (the celestial body).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cometa
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'cometa' to mean the flying toy?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cómo sé si están hablando del juguete o del objeto espacial?
The context is the best clue! If the conversation is about children, parks, or wind, it's the kite. If it's about space, orbits, or telescopes, it's the comet.
If 'cometa' ends in -a, why is it masculine (el cometa)?
This is a common exception in Spanish! Many nouns borrowed from Greek that end in -ma, -pa, or -ta are masculine, even though most words ending in -a are feminine. Just remember the rule: it's 'el cometa'.