lava

lah-bah

lava?molten rock from a volcano

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La lava del volcán avanzaba lentamente hacia el mar.

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

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

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

Lava is a feminine noun, so you must use 'la' or 'una' and make sure adjectives end in 'a,' like 'la lava roja'.

Mistake: "Using lava for rock inside the earth."

Correction: In Spanish, as in English, it is called 'magma' while underground and 'lava' once it breaks the surface.

You will often see this word in news reports alongside terms like 'erupción' (eruption) and 'ceniza' (ash).

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence refers to molten rock from a volcano?

lavadora(washing machine) - noun

lavadero(laundry room / sink) - noun

lavaplatos(dishwasher) - noun

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!).