Inklingo
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puro

/POO-roh/

pure

A single, flawless, bright red apple centered on a plain background, illustrating absolute completeness.

Puro used as an adjective meaning "sheer" or "absolute."

puro(Adjective)

mA2

pure

?

unmixed, clean

Also:

unadulterated

?

quality

,

clean

?

figurative, like 'clean air'

📝 In Action

El aire de la montaña es muy puro.

A2

The air in the mountains is very pure.

Ella solo bebe agua pura, sin minerales añadidos.

B1

She only drinks pure water, without added minerals.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • limpio (clean)
  • cristalino (crystal clear)

Antonyms

  • impuro (impure)
  • contaminado (polluted)

Common Collocations

  • oro puro – pure gold
  • seda pura – pure silk

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Matching

As an adjective, 'puro' must match the thing it describes in both gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural): 'puro' (m.s.), 'pura' (f.s.), 'puros' (m.pl.), 'puras' (f.pl.).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting the Feminine Form

Mistake: "Using 'puro' for a feminine noun, e.g., 'agua puro'."

Correction: Use the feminine form: 'agua pura'. Remember that 'agua' is feminine even though it starts with 'a'.

A thick, brown, unlit cigar resting horizontally on a simple surface.

Puro used as a noun meaning "cigar."

puro(Adjective)

mB1

sheer

?

absolute, complete

Also:

total

?

emphasis

,

nothing but

?

figurative meaning

📝 In Action

Fue pura casualidad que nos encontráramos en la calle.

B1

It was sheer coincidence that we ran into each other on the street.

Su discurso fue puro drama, sin ningún dato real.

B2

His speech was pure drama (nothing but drama), without any real data.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • pura vida – pure life (Costa Rican greeting/philosophy)
  • puro nerviosismo – sheer nervousness

💡 Grammar Points

Intensifier Placement

When used to mean 'sheer' or 'total,' 'puro' usually comes right before the noun it modifies (e.g., 'pura suerte' - sheer luck).

⭐ Usage Tips

Expressing Emphasis

Use 'puro/a' when you want to strongly emphasize that something is entirely one thing, often an emotion or abstract concept: 'pura tristeza' (total sadness).

puro(Noun)

mB1

cigar

?

tobacco product

📝 In Action

Se sentó en el porche a fumar un puro.

B1

He sat on the porch to smoke a cigar.

Los puros cubanos son famosos en todo el mundo.

B2

Cuban cigars are famous all over the world.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • fumar un puro – to smoke a cigar
  • caja de puros – box of cigars

💡 Grammar Points

The Noun vs. The Adjective

When 'puro' is used as a noun, it always refers to a cigar and is always masculine ('el puro'). As an adjective, it changes form ('pura'). Context will tell you which one is being used.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: puro

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'puro' to mean 'sheer' or 'complete'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

pureza(purity) - noun
purificar(to purify) - verb
puramente(purely) - adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'puro' always interchangeable with 'limpio' (clean)?

Not exactly. While they both relate to cleanliness, 'puro' emphasizes being unmixed, unadulterated, or pristine (like 'pure gold' or 'pure water'). 'Limpio' simply means clean or not dirty (like 'clean clothes' or 'a clean floor').

How can I tell if 'puro' means 'pure' (adjective) or 'cigar' (noun)?

Look at the small word before it. If you see 'el' or 'un' followed by 'puro' (e.g., 'el puro'), it's almost certainly the noun 'cigar'. If it changes form (e.g., 'la pura' or 'los puros') and modifies another word, it's the adjective 'pure'.