delta

/DELL-tah/

delta

An aerial view of a large, muddy river splitting into multiple channels as it flows into the blue sea, forming a distinct, triangular, marshy landmass known as a delta.

A geographical delta is a triangular landform created by sediment deposition at the mouth of a river.

delta(noun)

mB1

delta

river mouth landform

Also:

river fan

geographical feature

📝 In Action

El delta del río Amazonas es inmenso.

The delta of the Amazon River is immense.

La vida silvestre abunda en el delta del río.

Wildlife is abundant in the river delta.

Word Connections

Synonyms

desembocadura (river mouth)

Common Collocations

delta fluvial – river delta
región del delta – delta region

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Exception

Even though 'delta' ends in '-a', it is a masculine noun ('el delta'). This often happens with words taken directly from Greek, like 'el planeta' or 'el tema'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Wrong Article

Mistake: "La delta del río es fértil."

Correction: The correct article is masculine: 'El delta del río es fértil.' Remember it always takes 'el'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Visualizing the Shape

The landform is named 'delta' because it often looks like the triangular capital Greek letter Delta (Δ).

A minimalist, solid, vibrant blue triangle shape centered against a soft, simple background, representing the geometric form of the Greek letter Delta.

The Spanish word 'delta' also refers to the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, often symbolized by a simple triangle shape.

delta(noun)

mC1

delta

Greek letter

Also:

change

symbol (Δ) used in math/science

difference

symbol (Δ) used in math/science

📝 In Action

En las ecuaciones, 'delta' (Δ) representa la variación de la variable.

In equations, 'delta' (Δ) represents the variation of the variable (the change).

La letra griega 'delta' es la cuarta del alfabeto.

The Greek letter 'delta' is the fourth letter of the alphabet.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

delta de temperatura – change in temperature
error delta – delta error (in computing)

💡 Grammar Points

Symbol vs. Word

When talking about the scientific concept of 'change,' you will often see the symbol (Δ) written, but when you read it aloud, you say 'delta'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Context Clues

If you see 'delta' used with numbers or scientific terms, it almost always means 'the difference' or 'the rate of change' between two points.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: delta

Question 1 of 2

¿Cuál de las siguientes frases usa 'delta' en su sentido geográfico?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

deltoides(deltoid (muscle)) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

¿Cómo recuerdo si 'delta' es masculino o femenino?

Recuerda que casi todas las palabras que terminan en '-ma' o '-ta' y provienen del griego son masculinas, como 'el tema' o 'el planeta'. Así que siempre usa 'el delta'.