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lava

lah-bahˈla.βa

“lava” means “lava” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

lava

NounfB1
A glowing orange stream of molten lava flowing down a dark gray volcanic mountain side.

📝 In Action

La lava del volcán avanzaba lentamente hacia el mar.

B1

The lava from the volcano was moving slowly toward the sea.

Después de la erupción, la lava se enfrió y se convirtió en roca.

B1

After the eruption, the lava cooled and turned into rock.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • magma (magma)

Common Collocations

  • flujo de lava – lava flow
  • lava volcánica – volcanic lava

washes, wash

Also: clean
VerbA1regular ar
A pair of hands scrubbing a white ceramic plate under a stream of clear water from a faucet with soap bubbles.
infinitivelavar
past Participlelavado
gerundlavando

📝 In Action

Él lava los platos todas las noches.

A1

He washes the dishes every night.

¡Lava tus manos antes de comer!

A1

Wash your hands before eating!

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • limpiar (to clean)
  • asear (to tidy up/clean)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • lava la ropa – washes the clothes
  • se lava la cara – washes his/her face

Idioms & Expressions

  • lavar los trapos sucios – to air dirty laundry (discuss private problems publicly)

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yolave
túlaves
él/ella/ustedlave
nosotroslavemos
vosotroslavéis
ellos/ellas/ustedeslaven

Imperfect Subjunctive

yolavara
túlavaras
él/ella/ustedlavara
nosotroslaváramos
vosotroslavarais
ellos/ellas/ustedeslavaran

Indicative

Present

yolavo
túlavas
él/ella/ustedlava
nosotroslavamos
vosotroslaváis
ellos/ellas/ustedeslavan

Imperfect

yolavaba
túlavabas
él/ella/ustedlavaba
nosotroslavábamos
vosotroslavabais
ellos/ellas/ustedeslavaban

Preterite

yolavé
túlavaste
él/ella/ustedlavó
nosotroslavamos
vosotroslavasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedeslavaron
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "lava" in Spanish:

clean→lava→wash→washes→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: lava

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence refers to molten rock from a volcano?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
lavar(to wash) — Verb
lavadora(washing machine) — Noun
lavadero(laundry room / sink) — Noun
lavaplatos(dishwasher) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
bravapavaesclava
📚 Etymology▼

The noun 'lava' comes from Italian, originally referring to a stream of water or mud caused by rain (from Latin 'labi', to slide). The verb form 'lava' comes from the Latin 'lavare', meaning to wash or bathe.

First recorded: 18th century (noun); 12th century (verb)

Cognates (Related words)

English: lavatoryFrench: laver

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'lava' masculine or feminine?

As a noun (the rock), it is always feminine: 'la lava'. As a verb, gender does not apply.

How do I know if 'lava' is a command or a statement?

Context and punctuation are key. 'Él lava' is a statement (He washes). '¡Lava!' with exclamation marks is usually a command (Wash!).