crisis
“crisis” means “crisis” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
crisis, slump
Also: recession, breakdown
📝 In Action
El país está atravesando una crisis económica muy profunda.
B1The country is going through a very deep economic crisis.
Mi hermana tuvo una crisis de ansiedad antes de su examen.
B1My sister had an anxiety attack (crisis) before her exam.
Necesitamos nuevas ideas para salir de esta crisis.
A2We need new ideas to get out of this crisis.
turning point
Also: seizure
📝 In Action
Los médicos esperan que la crisis de la enfermedad llegue esta noche.
C1The doctors expect the turning point of the illness to arrive tonight.
Fue una crisis de fe lo que lo llevó a cambiar de vida.
B2It was a crisis of faith that led him to change his life.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: crisis
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the plural form of 'crisis'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the ancient Greek word *krisis*, meaning 'decision' or 'turning point.' It passed through Latin before entering Spanish, maintaining its original sense of a decisive moment or a time when judgment is needed.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish (via Latin)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'crisis' is singular or plural?
You must look at the word that comes before it. If it is 'la' or 'una', it is singular. If it is 'las' or a plural number (like 'dos'), it is plural. The word itself looks the same either way.
Is 'crisis' always a bad thing?
Not always! While it usually refers to a difficult time (economic crisis), its original meaning is a 'turning point' or 'decision.' In medicine, a crisis can mean the moment a patient starts to get better.