Inklingo
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A bright red ribbon winding continuously across a green grassy field, flowing smoothly from the foreground to the background without any breaks.

continua

kohn-TEE-nwah

adjectivefB1
continuous?uninterrupted
Also:ongoing?a process or activity,constant?describing a steady presence or state

📝 In Action

La lluvia fue continua durante toda la noche.

B1

The rain was continuous throughout the whole night.

La empresa requiere una mejora continua de sus procesos.

B2

The company requires ongoing improvement of its processes.

En la carretera, una línea continua prohíbe adelantar.

B1

On the road, a continuous line prohibits passing.

Necesitamos energía continua para mantener el sistema encendido.

B2

We need continuous power to keep the system on.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • intermitente (intermittent)
  • pausada (paused)

Common Collocations

  • línea continua – continuous line (road marking)
  • formación continua – continuing education
  • atención continua – ongoing attention

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Agreement

Since 'continua' is an adjective, it must match the feminine noun it describes (e.g., 'una acción continua'). For masculine nouns, always use 'continuo'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Adjective and Verb

Mistake: "Using 'continua' when you mean the verb 'she continues' ('ella continua')."

Correction: The verb form for 'she continues' must have an accent: 'continúa'. 'Continua' (no accent) is only the descriptive word (adjective).

⭐ Usage Tips

Describing Time and Space

Use 'continua' to describe things that are unbroken in time (a constant effort) or unbroken in space (a solid line).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: continua

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'continua' (the adjective)?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

continuar(to continue) - verb
continuo(continuous (m.)) - adjective
continuidad(continuity) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'continua' and 'continúa'?

'Continua' (no accent) is the feminine descriptive word meaning 'continuous' (e.g., 'una lluvia continua'). 'Continúa' (with accent) is the verb form meaning 'he/she/it continues' or the polite command 'Continue!'

When should I use 'continua' instead of 'continuo'?

You use 'continua' when the word it describes is feminine (like 'vida' or 'luz'). You use 'continuo' when the word is masculine (like 'trabajo' or 'flujo').