pulmón
/pool-MOHN/
lung
A 'pulmón' is the organ used for breathing.
📝 In Action
El médico me escuchó el pulmón derecho.
A2The doctor listened to my right lung.
Fumar es muy malo para los pulmones.
A1Smoking is very bad for the lungs.
Siento un dolor en el pulmón cuando respiro hondo.
B1I feel a pain in my lung when I breathe deeply.
💡 Grammar Points
The Disappearing Accent
When 'pulmón' becomes plural ('pulmones'), it loses the written accent on the 'o' because the natural stress stays on the same syllable without needing the mark.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Trap
Mistake: "la pulmón"
Correction: el pulmón
⭐ Usage Tips
Body Parts Rule
In Spanish, we usually use 'the' (el/la) instead of 'my' or 'your' when talking about body parts. Say 'me duele el pulmón' instead of 'mi pulmón'.
Figuratively, a 'pulmón' is a green space that provides fresh air to a city.
📝 In Action
El parque del Retiro es el pulmón de Madrid.
B1The Retiro park is the lung of Madrid.
El Amazonas es considerado el pulmón del planeta.
B2The Amazon is considered the planet's lung.
💡 Grammar Points
Using Nouns as Descriptions
You can use 'pulmón' to describe a place that provides health or vital energy to a larger area, just like in English.
In an idiomatic sense, 'a pulmón' means doing something through sheer personal effort.
pulmón(noun)
with sheer effort
?idiomatic: doing something on your own
unassisted
?referring to personal drive
📝 In Action
Levantó su negocio a pulmón, sin ayuda de nadie.
C1He built his business with sheer effort, without anyone's help.
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'a pulmón' phrase
This is a great phrase to use when you want to emphasize that someone worked really hard and succeeded all by themselves.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pulmón
Question 1 of 2
What happens to the accent mark when 'pulmón' becomes plural ('pulmones')?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it 'el pulmón' or 'la pulmón'?
It is always masculine: 'el pulmón'.
Does it mean the same as 'pulmonía'?
No. 'Pulmón' is the organ (lung), while 'pulmonía' is the illness (pneumonia).