pólvora

POHL-boh-rah

gunpowder?explosive mixture

Also:firework powder?the substance inside fireworks

📝 In Action

Los barcos antiguos llevaban barriles llenos de pólvora.

Ancient ships carried barrels full of gunpowder.

El aire olía a pólvora después de los fuegos artificiales.

The air smelled like gunpowder after the fireworks.

No gastes pólvora en chimangos; ese problema no tiene solución.

Don't waste your energy on something not worth it; that problem has no solution.

No haber inventado la pólvora – To not be very clever or to state something obvious as if it were new
Gastar pólvora en chimangos – To waste effort or resources on something that isn't worth it
Ser una pólvora – To be very quick-tempered or to explode with anger easily

Pólvora is a feminine noun because it ends in 'a.' You should always use 'la' or 'una' with it.

Mistake: "Using 'pólvora' to mean 'dust' or 'makeup powder'."

Correction: Use 'polvo' for dust on furniture and 'polvos' (plural) for makeup. Use 'pólvora' only for the explosive substance.

If you describe someone as 'pólvora,' you are saying they lose their cool very quickly, just like gunpowder catches fire.

Question 1 of 1

If someone tells you 'No has inventado la pólvora,' what are they implying?

polvorín(powder magazine / explosive situation) - noun

polvoriento(dusty) - adjective

empolvar(to cover in powder/dust) - verb

Can I use 'pólvora' for the powder I put on my face?

No. For makeup, you should use the word 'polvos' (usually in plural). 'Pólvora' is strictly for explosives.

Is 'pólvora' a masculine or feminine word?

It is feminine: 'la pólvora'.