minar
“minar” means “to mine” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to mine
Also: to lay mines
📝 In Action
Muchos hombres trabajaban para minar el carbón de la montaña.
B1Many men used to work to mine the coal from the mountain.
El ejército decidió minar la frontera para proteger la zona.
B2The army decided to lay mines at the border to protect the area.
Es difícil minar metales preciosos en este terreno.
B1It is difficult to mine precious metals in this terrain.
to undermine
Also: to erode
📝 In Action
Sus constantes mentiras acabaron por minar mi confianza.
B2His constant lies eventually undermined my trust.
La enfermedad minó sus fuerzas en pocos meses.
C1The illness sapped his strength in a few months.
No dejes que los comentarios negativos minen tu moral.
B2Don't let negative comments undermine your morale.
to mine
📝 In Action
Minar criptomonedas consume mucha energía eléctrica.
B1Mining cryptocurrencies consumes a lot of electrical energy.
Él compró tres computadoras potentes para minar en casa.
B1He bought three powerful computers to mine at home.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: minar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence uses 'minar' in a figurative sense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Derived from the noun 'mina' (mine), which comes from Late Latin 'mina,' likely of Celtic origin. It originally referred to a vein of metal in the earth.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'minar' a regular verb?
Yes, 'minar' is a completely regular -ar verb. It follows the same rules as common verbs like 'hablar'.
Can I use 'minar' for digital currency?
Absolutely! It is the standard word used in Spanish for mining cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.
What is the difference between 'minar' and 'socavar'?
They are very similar. 'Minar' is often used for health and morale, while 'socavar' (undermine) is more common when talking about authority, foundations, or political power.