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📖2 definitions
📚 suelo has 2 definitions
A cross-section of fertile brown earth showing roots and a small, healthy green plant growing out of the surface.

suelo

/SWEH-loh/

NounmA2
floor?The surface you walk on inside a building.,ground?The surface of the earth outside.
Also:soil?The earth that plants grow in.

📝 In Action

El gato está durmiendo en el suelo.

A1

The cat is sleeping on the floor.

Ten cuidado, el suelo está mojado por la lluvia.

A2

Be careful, the ground is wet from the rain.

Este tipo de suelo es perfecto para cultivar tomates.

B1

This type of soil is perfect for growing tomatoes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • piso (floor)
  • tierra (earth, ground, soil)

Antonyms

  • techo (ceiling, roof)

Common Collocations

  • a ras del suelo – at ground level
  • caer al suelo – to fall to the ground

Idioms & Expressions

  • por los suelos – very low, either in price or in mood

💡 Grammar Points

Suelo vs. Piso

Suelo is the surface you walk on (floor, ground). Piso can also mean 'floor', but it's also used for an apartment or a level/story of a building. 'Vivo en el tercer piso' (I live on the third floor).

⭐ Usage Tips

Think 'Surface'

A simple way to remember suelo is to think of it as the surface under your feet, whether you're inside a house or outside in a park.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: suelo

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'suelo' to talk about a habit?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

soler(to usually do, to be accustomed to) - verb
subsuelo(subsoil, underground) - noun
insolito(unusual, unheard-of) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the main difference between 'suelo' and 'piso' for 'floor'?

Think of 'suelo' as the surface you walk on. 'Piso' can also mean that, but it's often used to talk about a whole level of a building or an apartment itself. You'd say 'Mi apartamento está en el segundo piso' (My apartment is on the second floor), not 'segundo suelo'.

Can I just say 'usualmente' instead of using the verb 'soler'?

Yes, you can! For example, 'Usualmente me levanto temprano' is perfectly correct. However, using 'Suelo levantarme temprano' is very common and can make your Spanish sound more natural and less like a direct translation from English.