A simple dirt path winding through a landscape, abruptly blocked by a large pile of unstable gray and brown rocks that have tumbled down from a steep cliff face, symbolizing imminent danger.

peligro

/peh-LEE-gro/

NounmA2

danger?general threat or harm

Also:risk?possibility of loss or harm,hazard?a specific source of danger,peril?more formal or literary

📝 In Action

¡Cuidado! Hay mucho peligro en esta carretera por la noche.

Be careful! There is a lot of danger on this highway at night.

No te preocupes, el perro está entrenado y no hay peligro.

Don't worry, the dog is trained and there is no danger.

El paciente ya está fuera de peligro después de la operación.

The patient is now out of danger after the surgery.

Ignorar las advertencias del guía puso al grupo en grave peligro.

Ignoring the guide's warnings put the group in grave danger.

Word Connections

Synonyms

riesgo (risk)
amenaza (threat)

Antonyms

seguridad (safety, security)
protección (protection)

Common Collocations

correr peligro – to be in danger
poner en peligro – to endanger, to put in danger
estar en peligro de extinción – to be in danger of extinction
fuera de peligro – out of danger
un peligro público – a public menace

Idioms & Expressions

tener más peligro que una caja de bombas – To describe someone or something as very dangerous, unpredictable, or troublesome.

💡 Grammar Points

Always Masculine: 'el peligro'

Even though 'danger' doesn't have a gender in English, 'peligro' is always a masculine word in Spanish. Remember to use 'el' or 'un' with it: 'el peligro' (the danger), 'un peligro' (a danger).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Being 'in' Danger: Use 'Estar'

Mistake: "La ciudad es en peligro por la tormenta."

Correction: La ciudad está en peligro por la tormenta. To talk about being in a state of danger, always use the phrase 'estar en peligro'.

Being a Danger: Use 'Ser'

Mistake: "Ese cable suelto está un peligro."

Correction: Ese cable suelto es un peligro. To describe something that *is* a danger itself, use the verb 'ser'. It defines what the thing is.

⭐ Usage Tips

How to Say 'To Endanger'

A very common and useful phrase is 'poner en peligro', which literally means 'to put in danger'. For example, 'Sus acciones ponen en peligro a todo el equipo' (His actions endanger the whole team).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: peligro

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly says 'The polar bears are in danger'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

peligroso/a(dangerous) - adjective

peligrosamente(dangerously) - adverb

peligrosidad(dangerousness, level of danger) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'peligro' and 'riesgo'?

'Peligro' refers to the danger or hazard itself (like a slippery floor). 'Riesgo' refers to the risk or probability of harm from that danger (the risk of falling). If there's a shark in the water, that's the 'peligro'. Swimming anyway is the 'riesgo'.

How do I turn 'peligro' into an adjective?

To describe something as 'dangerous', you use the adjective 'peligroso' for masculine things (un perro peligroso) or 'peligrosa' for feminine things (una situación peligrosa).