paracaídas
/pah-rah-kah-EE-dahs/
parachute
Un paracaídas being used for skydiving in the open air.
📝 In Action
El instructor me explicó cómo abrir el paracaídas.
B1The instructor explained to me how to open the parachute.
Tengo miedo de que el paracaídas no se abra.
B1I am afraid that the parachute won't open.
Llegó a la fiesta como un paracaídas.
B2He showed up to the party uninvited (out of nowhere).
💡 Grammar Points
One word for many
This word looks plural because it ends in 's', but it stays the same whether you have one or many. Use 'el paracaídas' for one and 'los paracaídas' for more than one.
A compound word
This is made of two words: 'para' (stops/protects) and 'caídas' (falls). It literally means 'stop-falls'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't drop the 's'
Mistake: "el paracaída"
Correction: el paracaídas
⭐ Usage Tips
Sports Talk
If you want to say 'I went skydiving,' use the phrase 'Hice paracaidismo' or 'Salté en paracaídas'.
A figurative paracaídas representing a large payment for an executive.
📝 In Action
El director recibió un paracaídas de oro tras su renuncia.
C1The director received a golden parachute after his resignation.
⭐ Usage Tips
Metaphorical safety
Just like in English, we use this to describe financial protection when someone loses their job.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: paracaídas
Question 1 of 2
How do you say 'three parachutes' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'paracaídas' masculine or feminine?
It is masculine. You should always say 'el paracaídas' or 'un paracaídas'.
Does the word change when talking about more than one?
No, the spelling remains 'paracaídas' for both singular and plural. You distinguish them by the article: 'el paracaídas' (one) vs 'los paracaídas' (many).