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seta

seh-tah/ˈseta/

mushroom

Also: fungus
NounfA2
SpainLatin America
A classic red mushroom with white spots growing in a green forest clearing.

📝 In Action

Me encanta el risotto de setas.

A1

I love mushroom risotto.

Ten mucho cuidado porque algunas setas son venenosas.

A2

Be very careful because some mushrooms are poisonous.

Este otoño ha llovido mucho, así que habrá muchas setas en el bosque.

B1

It has rained a lot this autumn, so there will be many mushrooms in the forest.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • hongo (fungus)
  • champiñón (button mushroom)

Common Collocations

  • recoger setas – to pick mushrooms
  • setas silvestres – wild mushrooms
  • seta venenosa – poisonous mushroom

Idioms & Expressions

  • quedarse como una seta – to stay still and quiet without talking to anyone
  • crecer como setas – to appear or pop up everywhere very quickly

wallflower

Also: bore
NounfB2informal
A shy person standing alone near a wall at a party while others dance in the background.

📝 In Action

¡Venga, levántate y baila! No seas una seta.

B2

Come on, get up and dance! Don't be such a wallflower.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • aburrido (boring person)
  • soso (bland/dull person)

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "seta" in Spanish:

bore→fungus→mushroom→wallflower→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: seta

Question 1 of 3

If you are at a party and someone says 'No seas una seta', what do they want you to do?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
setal(a place where many mushrooms grow) — Noun
hongar(mushroom patch) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'saeta,' which meant 'bristle' or 'stiff hair.' This likely referred to the hair-like gills or texture found on certain types of fungi.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: seta (silk - note: this is a false friend!)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'seta' the same as 'hongo'?

Not exactly. 'Hongo' is the broad scientific term for fungus, while 'seta' refers specifically to the part that grows above ground with a cap and stem (the mushroom).

Is it used in Latin America?

It is understood, but people in Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina much more commonly use the word 'hongo' for everything.

Can 'seta' be a verb?

No, 'seta' is only a noun. To say 'to pick mushrooms,' you use the verb 'recoger' followed by 'setas'.