lágrimas
“lágrimas” means “tears” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
tears
📝 In Action
Después de ver la película, tenía los ojos llenos de lágrimas.
A1After watching the movie, her eyes were full of tears.
Sus lágrimas eran de alegría, no de tristeza.
A2His tears were of joy, not sadness.
Le cayeron dos lágrimas por la mejilla cuando se despidió.
B1Two tears rolled down her cheek when she said goodbye.
drops
Also: legs
📝 In Action
El vino tiene buenas 'lágrimas', lo que indica alta graduación.
B2The wine has good 'legs' (or 'tears'), which indicates high alcohol content.
Las lágrimas de resina goteaban lentamente del pino herido.
C1The drops of resin dripped slowly from the injured pine tree.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: lágrimas
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'lágrimas' in its primary meaning?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word *lacrima*, which itself is related to the ancient Greek word *dákryma*. The meaning has always been associated with the drops that fall from the eyes.
First recorded: Old Spanish records (circa 13th century) show variations of the word.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'lágrimas' plural, even when I only mean one tear?
In Spanish, the fluid that comes from crying is usually treated as an uncountable substance, similar to 'water' or 'sand,' and is referred to in the plural form, 'las lágrimas.' If you absolutely must specify only one drop, you can say 'una lágrima,' but the plural is far more common.
Can I use 'lágrimas' to talk about rain drops?
While it's poetically possible, the standard word for rain drops is 'gotas de lluvia.' Use 'lágrimas' strictly for tears from the eyes, or figuratively for thick, slow-moving drops like resin or wine 'legs'.