mina

MEE-nah

nounfB1

mine?excavation for minerals,pit?open excavation

Also:vein?deposit of ore

📝 In Action

La mina de carbón cerró el año pasado por falta de recursos.

The coal mine closed last year due to lack of resources.

Dicen que el pueblo se fundó cerca de una antigua mina de plata.

They say the town was founded near an old silver mine.

Word Connections

Synonyms

yacimiento (deposit)
excavación (excavation)

Common Collocations

mina de oro – gold mine
minero de la mina – mine worker

Idioms & Expressions

ser una mina de oro – to be a source of great wealth or success

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Check

Remember that 'mina' is always feminine, even though it ends in 'a' like many masculine words (e.g., 'día'). You must use 'la' or 'una' before it.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: mina

Question 1 of 2

Which meaning of 'mina' is highly localized to Argentina and Uruguay?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

minero(miner) - noun

minería(mining) - noun

portaminas(mechanical pencil) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'mina' a polite word for a woman?

No. In Spanish-speaking countries outside of the Southern Cone (Argentina, Uruguay), 'mina' is primarily understood as 'mine' or 'explosive.' Even where it means 'girl,' it's informal slang. Stick to 'chica' or 'mujer' for neutral or formal contexts.

¿Cuál es el plural de 'mina'?

The plural is simple: 'minas'. For example, 'Hay dos minas de plata en esta región' (There are two silver mines in this region).