máquinas
MAH-kee-nas
📝 In Action
Las máquinas en la fábrica trabajan día y noche.
A2The machines in the factory work day and night.
Necesitamos comprar nuevas máquinas de coser.
A1We need to buy new sewing machines.
El gimnasio tiene muchas máquinas para hacer ejercicio.
A1The gym has many machines for exercising.
💡 Grammar Points
Feminine Plural
Since 'máquina' is a feminine word, 'máquinas' is also feminine. This means you must use feminine words like 'las' (the) or 'estas' (these) before it.
The Accent
The accent mark on the 'a' (máquinas) shows where the stress falls when you say the word, making it clear that it is the noun, not the verb form of 'maquinar' (to scheme).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Genders
Mistake: "Los máquinas son ruidosos."
Correction: Las máquinas son ruidosas. Remember that 'máquina' is always feminine, so the articles and adjectives must match.
⭐ Usage Tips
General Equipment
In Spanish, 'máquinas' is often used more broadly than 'machines' in English, sometimes meaning general equipment or apparatus, like gym equipment or printing presses.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: máquinas
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'máquinas'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'máquinas' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on 'máquinas' is there because the stress naturally falls on the third-to-last syllable. This helps native speakers pronounce the word correctly and distinguishes it from other words that might look similar but have a different stress pattern.
Is 'máquina' used for computers?
Yes, 'máquina' is a general term. While 'computadora' or 'ordenador' are more specific for computers, people sometimes refer to them casually as 'máquinas' (devices), especially in computing contexts like 'máquina virtual'.