etapa
/eh-TAH-pah/
stage
This image illustrates etapa as a period of development, showing different stages of growth.
📝 In Action
Mi abuela dice que la vejez es una etapa muy tranquila.
A2My grandmother says that old age is a very peaceful stage.
Estamos en la etapa final de la construcción de la casa.
B1We are in the final phase of the house construction.
La niñez es una etapa de mucho aprendizaje.
A1Childhood is a period of great learning.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Remember that 'etapa' is always feminine, so you must use 'la' or 'una' before it: 'la etapa', 'una etapa importante'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Confusion
Mistake: "El etapa"
Correction: La etapa. Even though it ends in '-a', Spanish nouns are sometimes tricky, but 'etapa' is always feminine.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'De'
Use 'etapa de' to specify the kind of stage: 'etapa de transición' (stage of transition), 'etapa de crecimiento' (stage of growth).
Here, etapa represents a segment or stage of a journey, like a specific leg of a race.
📝 In Action
El ciclista ganó la etapa de montaña hoy por solo diez segundos.
B1The cyclist won the mountain stage today by only ten seconds.
La segunda etapa del viaje nos lleva a través del desierto.
B2The second leg of the trip takes us across the desert.
💡 Grammar Points
Sports Vocabulary
In professional cycling (like the Tour de France), 'etapa' is the standard word for one day's segment of the race.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: etapa
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'etapa' to describe a life period, not a race segment?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'etapa' related to the word 'tapa' (the appetizer)?
No, despite sounding similar and sharing the root 'tap-,' they have different origins. 'Etapa' comes from the French word for a resting place, while 'tapa' (the appetizer or lid) comes from the verb 'tapar' (to cover).
¿Cómo se dice 'new chapter' en español?
You can say 'una nueva etapa' or 'un nuevo capítulo.' 'Etapa' often feels more natural when talking about a new phase in life or a project.