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oro

OH-rohˈo.ɾo

“oro” means “gold” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

gold

Also: gold color, treasure
NounmA2
A single, shiny rectangular gold ingot resting on a simple dark surface, emphasizing its metallic color and value.

📝 In Action

El anillo es de oro puro.

A2

The ring is pure gold.

Ganó la medalla de oro en las olimpiadas.

B1

She won the gold medal in the Olympics.

Tu consejo vale oro.

B2

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.

I pray

VerbB1regular ar
A solitary figure kneeling down with their hands clasped together in the universal gesture of prayer.
infinitiveorar
gerundorando
past Participleorado

📝 In Action

Yo oro todas las noches antes de dormir.

B1

I pray every night before sleeping.

Cuando tengo un problema, oro pidiendo guía.

B2

When I have a problem, I pray asking for guidance.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • rezo (I pray (from 'rezar'))

Common Collocations

  • oro a Dios – I pray to God
  • oro por ti – I pray for you

Indicative

Present

yooro
túoras
él/ella/ustedora
nosotrosoramos
vosotrosoráis
ellos/ellas/ustedesoran

Imperfect

yooraba
túorabas
él/ella/ustedoraba
nosotrosorábamos
vosotrosorabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesoraban

Preterite

yooré
túoraste
él/ella/ustedoró
nosotrosoramos
vosotrosorasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesoraron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yoore
túores
él/ella/ustedore
nosotrosoremos
vosotrosoréis
ellos/ellas/ustedesoren

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoorara
túoraras
él/ella/ustedorara
nosotrosoráramos
vosotrosorarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesoraran
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "oro" in Spanish:

gold→gold color→i pray→treasure→

✏️ 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
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'oro' has two separate origins. As a noun meaning 'gold,' it comes from the Latin word 'aurum.' As a verb form meaning 'I pray,' it comes from the Latin verb 'ōrāre,' which meant 'to speak' or 'to plead.'

First recorded: Before the 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: ouro (gold), orar (to pray)French: or (gold)Italian: oro (gold), orare (to pray)

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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).