prueba
“prueba” means “test” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
test, proof, evidence
Also: trial, sample, fitting
📝 In Action
Tengo una prueba de español el viernes.
A2I have a Spanish test on Friday.
No hay prueba de que él estuviera allí.
B1There is no proof that he was there.
El detective busca pruebas para resolver el caso.
B1The detective is looking for evidence to solve the case.
La primera semana es un período de prueba.
B2The first week is a trial period.
he/she/it tries, tastes, tests, proves
Also: try! / taste! / test! / prove!
📝 In Action
Ella prueba el vino antes de servirlo.
A2She tastes the wine before serving it.
Mi padre siempre prueba el coche nuevo.
B1My father always tries out the new car.
¡Prueba esta tarta! Está deliciosa.
A2Try this cake! It's delicious.
Con este experimento, él prueba su teoría.
B2With this experiment, he proves his theory.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: prueba
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'prueba' to mean 'proof' or 'evidence'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'proba', which meant 'a proof'. This itself comes from the verb 'probāre', meaning 'to test, to prove, to examine'. The core idea of testing something to see if it's good has remained for centuries.
First recorded: Around the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between 'prueba', 'examen', and 'ensayo'?
Great question! 'Prueba' is often a smaller test or quiz. 'Examen' is usually a bigger, more important test, like a midterm or final. 'Ensayo' isn't a test at all—it's an essay or a rehearsal for a play or concert. So, you take a 'prueba', study for an 'examen', and write an 'ensayo'.
How do I know if 'prueba' is the noun 'test' or the verb 'he/she tries'?
It's all about the other words in the sentence! If it comes after a word like 'una' or 'la' (e.g., 'una prueba'), it's the noun 'a test'. If it comes after a person's name or 'él'/'ella' (e.g., 'Juan prueba la comida'), it's the verb 'he tries/tastes'.