guerra
/GEHR-rah/
war
The primary meaning of guerra is 'war' or 'armed conflict.'
guerra(Noun)
war
?armed conflict between nations or groups
warfare
?the activity of fighting a war
📝 In Action
La Segunda Guerra Mundial fue un conflicto devastador.
B1The Second World War was a devastating conflict.
El país ha estado en guerra durante diez años.
A2The country has been at war for ten years.
Nadie quiere una guerra.
A2Nobody wants a war.
💡 Grammar Points
It's a Feminine Noun
Even though it doesn't end in '-o', 'guerra' is a feminine word. Always use 'la' or 'una' with it, like 'la guerra' or 'una guerra'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Pronouncing 'gue'
Mistake: "Saying 'gwe', like the sound in 'agua'."
Correction: The 'u' is silent in 'gue' and 'gui'. It's there to keep the 'g' sound hard (like in 'go'). So, 'guerra' sounds like 'GEH-rra'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Saying 'At War'
To say a country 'is at war,' use the phrase 'estar en guerra'. For example: 'El país está en guerra' (The country is at war).
Guerra can also be used figuratively to mean an intense 'struggle' or 'fight' against a problem, like a 'war on poverty.'
guerra(Noun)
struggle
?a difficult fight or effort
fight
?a conflict or strong disagreement
,conflict
?a serious disagreement or argument
📝 In Action
Es una guerra constante contra la desinformación.
B2It's a constant struggle against misinformation.
Los dos hermanos tienen una guerra de voluntades.
B1The two brothers are having a war of wills.
El gobierno inició una guerra contra la pobreza.
B1The government started a war on poverty.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Guerra' Figuratively
You can use 'guerra' to add intensity to any kind of conflict. A 'guerra de precios' (price war) between stores or a 'guerra de palabras' (war of words) between politicians are common examples.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: guerra
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'guerra' in a figurative (non-military) way?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'u' in 'guerra' silent?
In Spanish, to keep the 'g' sound hard (like in 'go') before an 'e' or 'i', a 'u' is placed in between. Without it, 'gerra' would sound like 'herra' (with a soft 'h' sound). You see the same thing in 'guitarra' (guitar) and 'guiso' (stew).
What's the difference between 'guerra' and 'batalla'?
Think of 'guerra' (war) as the whole movie and 'batalla' (battle) as a single scene. A 'guerra' is a long, large-scale conflict, while a 'batalla' is a specific fight or engagement within that war.