pulmones
/pool-MOH-nays/
lungs
The primary meaning of 'pulmones' refers to the essential organs used for breathing.
📝 In Action
Necesitas respirar profundamente para llenar tus pulmones de aire fresco.
A1You need to breathe deeply to fill your lungs with fresh air.
Fumar es muy malo para los pulmones.
A2Smoking is very bad for the lungs.
El doctor revisó los pulmones del paciente con un estetoscopio.
B1The doctor checked the patient's lungs with a stethoscope.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Plural
This word is almost always used in its plural form ('pulmones') because humans have two lungs. Remember it is masculine: 'los pulmones'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Singular
Mistake: "Me duele el pulmón (if referring to both)."
Correction: Me duelen los pulmones. (The verb 'doler' must also be plural to match 'pulmones').
⭐ Usage Tips
Health Context
When talking about specific health issues, remember the adjective 'pulmonar' (pulmonary) is often used, as in 'función pulmonar'.
'Pulmones' can also be used metaphorically to mean stamina or physical endurance.
pulmones(Noun)
stamina
?physical endurance or staying power
capacity
?ability to sustain effort
,wind
?ability to breathe easily during effort
📝 In Action
Este corredor tiene unos pulmones increíbles; puede correr kilómetros sin cansarse.
B2This runner has incredible stamina; he can run kilometers without getting tired.
Necesitas pulmones si quieres subir esa montaña sin detenerte.
C1You need staying power if you want to climb that mountain without stopping.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
In this sense, 'pulmones' describes a person's physical ability to keep going, using the image of strong lungs to represent great endurance.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'A todo pulmón'
This common idiom is often used when describing singing or shouting very loudly: 'Cantamos la canción a todo pulmón' (We sang the song at the top of our lungs).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pulmones
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'pulmones' in its figurative sense (stamina)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'pulmones' masculine if it ends in -es?
The singular form is 'el pulmón,' which is masculine. Nouns ending in -ón are generally masculine, and this gender carries over into the plural form 'los pulmones'.