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ruina

RWE-nahˈrwi.na

ruin

Also: ruins
NounfA2
A crumbling stone wall of an ancient structure, partially covered in green vines, symbolizing a physical ruin.

📝 In Action

Visitamos las ruinas de la antigua civilización maya.

A2

We visited the ruins of the ancient Mayan civilization.

Después del terremoto, solo quedó una ruina de la iglesia.

B1

After the earthquake, only a ruin remained of the church.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • escombros (rubble)
  • restos (remains)

Common Collocations

  • ruinas históricas – historical ruins
  • en ruinas – in ruins / dilapidated

ruin

Also: bankruptcy, downfall
NounfB2
A shattered ceramic piggy bank lying on a floor, with scattered coins rolling away, symbolizing financial loss or downfall.

📝 In Action

La crisis llevó a muchos pequeños negocios a la ruina.

B2

The crisis led many small businesses to ruin.

Su adicción al juego fue su ruina personal.

C1

His gambling addiction was his personal downfall.

No puedo comprar eso; me dejaría en la ruina.

B2

I can't buy that; it would leave me broke/ruined.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • estar en la ruina – to be broke/ruined
  • llevar a la ruina – to lead to ruin

disaster

Also: mess, wreck
NounfC1informal
A detailed sandcastle on a beach that is actively crumbling as a small ocean wave washes over its base, symbolizing a terrible failure.

📝 In Action

Mi viejo móvil es una ruina, la batería dura dos horas.

C1

My old phone is a disaster/wreck; the battery only lasts two hours.

¡Qué ruina de fin de semana! Llovió sin parar.

C1

What a disaster of a weekend! It rained non-stop.

Word Connections

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser una ruina – to be very expensive or costly (usually referencing upkeep or maintenance)

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: ruina

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'ruina' to mean financial failure?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
arruinar(to ruin, to destroy) — Verb
ruinoso(ruinous, dilapidated) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
quinaneblina
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'ruina,' meaning 'a falling down' or 'a collapse.' It originally referred to physical destruction but quickly expanded to include financial and moral downfall.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: rovinaFrench: ruine

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I say 'This is a ruin' when referring to an old, broken-down object?

You can use 'Esto es una ruina' or, more commonly, 'Esto está hecho una ruina.' This emphasizes that the object is in a terrible, destroyed state.

Is 'ruina' always negative?

Yes, 'ruina' almost always carries a negative meaning, referring to destruction, collapse, failure, or high cost. Even when talking about historical 'ruins,' it refers to a structure that has been destroyed.