esencia
/eh-SEHN-syah/
essence
The glowing core of the apple represents its fundamental nature, or esencia.
esencia(noun)
essence
?fundamental nature
core
?the most important part
,heart
?the central meaning or spirit
📝 In Action
La esencia de su filosofía es la simplicidad.
B2The essence of his philosophy is simplicity.
En esencia, todos buscamos la felicidad.
C1In essence, we are all looking for happiness.
Perder la esencia de uno mismo es el mayor miedo.
C1Losing one's true self is the greatest fear.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Rule
Since 'esencia' ends in -cia, it is always a feminine noun and uses feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., 'la esencia pura').
⭐ Usage Tips
Summarizing an Argument
Use the common phrase 'En esencia...' (In essence...) when you want to quickly summarize a long discussion or argument down to its main point.
This small bottle holds the concentrated extract, or esencia, derived from the lavender flowers.
esencia(noun)
extract
?concentrated flavor or scent
essential oil
?fragrant oil
,fragrance
?scent, aroma
📝 In Action
Añade unas gotas de esencia de limón al glaseado.
B1Add a few drops of lemon extract to the frosting.
Compré una esencia de lavanda para el difusor.
B1I bought a lavender essential oil for the diffuser.
Esta colonia tiene una esencia dulce muy agradable.
B2This cologne has a very pleasant sweet fragrance.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Extract vs. Oil
Mistake: "Using 'esencia' for crude oil or cooking oil ('aceite')."
Correction: 'Esencia' usually implies a concentrated, scented, or flavored liquid. For cooking oil, use 'aceite de cocina', and for petroleum, use 'petróleo'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: esencia
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'esencia' in the concrete sense (extract/fragrance)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Por qué es 'la esencia' y no 'el esencia'?
The word 'esencia' is always feminine because nearly all Spanish nouns that end in the combination -cia, like 'paciencia' (patience) or 'gracia' (grace), are feminine.