poesía
/poh-eh-SEE-ah/
poetry
Poesía refers to the art form of literature characterized by verse and rhythm (poetry).
📝 In Action
Mi hermana estudia la historia de la poesía moderna.
A2My sister studies the history of modern poetry.
A los niños les encanta la poesía con rima.
A1Children love poetry that has rhyme.
He comprado un libro de poesía de Pablo Neruda.
A2I have bought a book of poetry by Pablo Neruda.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Even though 'poesía' ends in '-a', remember that Spanish words ending in '-ía' often come from Greek and are always feminine. You must use 'la' or 'una' with it.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'el' instead of 'la'
Mistake: "El poesía es difícil."
Correction: La poesía es difícil. (Poetry is difficult.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Related words
A person who writes poetry is a 'poeta' (poet), which is one of the few nouns that uses the same form for both male and female writers.
Poesía can also describe a sense of beauty or charm, or a poetic quality found in everyday life.
poesía(noun)
poetic quality
?A sense of beauty or charm
charm
?Figurative beauty
,magic
?Emotional depth or feeling
📝 In Action
Hay mucha poesía en la forma en que ella mira el mundo.
B1There is a lot of poetic quality in the way she looks at the world.
El paisaje tenía una poesía natural que nos cautivó.
B2The landscape had a natural charm/poetry that captivated us.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Mucha'
When used in this figurative sense, 'poesía' is treated as an uncountable concept (like 'water' or 'love'), so you often use 'mucha poesía' (a lot of poetry) to describe the abundance of this feeling.
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing Feeling
This meaning is great for expressing deep appreciation for something beautiful or emotionally moving, like a piece of music or a quiet moment.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: poesía
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'poesía' in its figurative sense (meaning beauty or charm)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'poesía' and 'poema'?
Poesía refers to the general art form or genre (like saying 'music' or 'painting'). Poema refers to a single, specific piece of work (like saying 'a song' or 'a painting').
Why is 'poesía' feminine when 'poema' is masculine?
'Poesía' is feminine because it comes from the feminine Greek root 'poíēsis'. 'Poema' is masculine (el poema) because Spanish words ending in -ma, which often come from Greek (like 'problema' or 'tema'), are usually masculine.