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hormiga

or-MEE-gah/orˈmiɣa/

ant

NounfA1
A small, detailed red ant walking on a green leaf.

📝 In Action

Mira esa hormiga cargando una hoja.

A1

Look at that ant carrying a leaf.

Las hormigas viven en colonias muy organizadas.

A2

Ants live in very organized colonies.

Había una fila de hormigas entrando por la ventana de la cocina.

B1

There was a line of ants coming in through the kitchen window.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • hormiga obrera – worker ant
  • hormiga reina – queen ant
  • nido de hormigas – ants' nest

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser una hormiguita – To be a very hardworking or thrifty person who saves little by little.
  • trabajo de hormiga – A job that requires great patience and attention to tiny details.

busy bee / thrifty person

NounfB2informal
A person in a simple apron cheerfully carrying a large pile of golden coins towards a small ceramic jar.

📝 In Action

Mi tía es una hormiga; ha ahorrado peso por peso para su casa.

B2

My aunt is a busy bee; she has saved peso by peso for her house.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • derrochador (spendthrift)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "hormiga" in Spanish:

ant→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: hormiga

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'a male ant' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
hormiguero(anthill) — Noun
hormigueo(tingling sensation (pins and needles)) — Noun
hormiguear(to swarm or to tingle) — Verb
hormigón(concrete) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'formīca', which has the same meaning. Over centuries, the 'f' at the start changed to an 'h' in Spanish, which eventually became silent.

First recorded: 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: fourmiItalian: formicaPortuguese: formiga

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'hormiga' ever masculine?

No, 'hormiga' is grammatically feminine regardless of the biological sex of the insect.

What is the difference between 'hormiga' and 'hormigón'?

While they look similar, 'hormiga' is an ant, and 'hormigón' is the word for concrete (the building material). They are related because concrete looks 'grainy' like a pile of small things.

How do you say 'antsy' in Spanish?

We don't use 'hormiga' for that! To say you are restless or antsy, you might say 'tener hormiguillo' or 'estar inquieto'.