contaminado
“contaminado” means “polluted” in Spanish (environment or air).
polluted, contaminated
Also: tainted, impure
📝 In Action
El aire de la ciudad está muy contaminado hoy.
A1The city air is very polluted today.
No podemos beber este agua porque está contaminada.
A2We cannot drink this water because it is contaminated.
El experimento falló porque el material estaba contaminado.
B1The experiment failed because the material was contaminated.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: contaminado
Question 1 of 3
Which of these would you describe as 'contaminado'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'contaminatus,' which meant to bring into contact with something dirty or to spoil something by mixing it.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'contaminado' the same as 'sucio'?
Not exactly. 'Sucio' means dirty (like a muddy shirt), while 'contaminado' means something has toxic or harmful substances in it (like polluted air).
Can I use 'contaminado' for people?
Only figuratively. You wouldn't call a person 'contaminado' unless you mean their ideas or reputation have been tainted by something bad.
Does it change for a group of things?
Yes! For a group of masculine items, use 'contaminados.' For a group of feminine items, use 'contaminadas.'