oro

/OH-roh/

NounmA2

gold?the precious metal

Also:gold color?describing the color,treasure?figuratively, something valuable

📝 In Action

El anillo es de oro puro.

The ring is pure gold.

Ganó la medalla de oro en las olimpiadas.

She won the gold medal in the Olympics.

Tu consejo vale oro.

Your advice is worth its weight in gold.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

medalla de oro – gold medal
fiebre del oro – gold rush
lingote de oro – gold bar/ingot

Idioms & Expressions

no es oro todo lo que reluce – A warning that things aren't always as good as they seem.
valer su peso en oro – To be extremely valuable or useful.
el silencio es oro – Silence is valuable; sometimes it's better to say nothing.

💡 Grammar Points

Always Masculine: 'el oro'

'Oro' is a masculine noun, so you always use 'el' or 'un' with it. For example, 'el oro es caro' (gold is expensive).

❌ Common Pitfalls

The Metal vs. The Color

Mistake: "El coche es de color oro."

Correction: El coche es de color dorado. Use 'oro' for the actual metal and 'dorado' for the color 'golden'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Talking About Value

Just like in English, you can use 'oro' to talk about anything that is very valuable, not just the metal. For example, 'Tu amistad es oro para mí' (Your friendship is gold to me).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: oro

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'oro' to mean the metal?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

orar(to pray) - verb

oración(prayer; sentence) - noun

dorado(golden) - adjective

orfebrería(goldsmithing) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'oro' means 'gold' or 'I pray'?

Context is everything! If it's used with 'el' or talked about as a material ('anillo de oro'), it means 'gold.' If it seems to be an action that a person ('yo') is doing, it means 'I pray.' For example, 'Compro oro' (I buy gold) vs. 'Yo oro' (I pray).

What's the difference between 'oro' and 'dorado'?

Think of 'oro' as the actual substance, the metal itself. 'Dorado' is the color 'golden.' So, a ring is made 'de oro' (of gold), but a car is painted 'de color dorado' (a golden color).