químicos
“químicos” means “chemicals” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
chemicals
Also: chemists
📝 In Action
Muchos productos de limpieza contienen químicos fuertes.
A2Many cleaning products contain strong chemicals.
Debemos guardar los químicos bajo llave, lejos de los niños.
B1We must store the chemicals locked up, away from children.
chemical
📝 In Action
Necesitamos analizar los procesos químicos en la fábrica.
B1We need to analyze the chemical processes in the factory.
Los elementos químicos se combinan de muchas maneras.
B2The chemical elements combine in many ways.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: químicos
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'químicos' as a noun (a thing)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word *chemicus*, which itself originated from the Greek word *khēmeia*, referring to the ancient art of transmuting metals (alchemy). The word simply evolved to refer to the modern scientific study of substances.
First recorded: 17th century (in its modern scientific context)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'químicos' and 'sustancias'?
'Químicos' often implies substances that are manufactured or used in industry/science (like pesticides or cleaning agents). 'Sustancias' is a broader, more general term for any material or substance.
Can 'químicos' refer to people?
Yes, but less often. It can mean 'chemists' (people who work in chemistry). However, when referring to male chemists, the most common noun is often 'los químicos' (the chemists), matching the plural noun definition.