Inklingo

How to Say "drought" in Spanish

English → Spanish

sequía

nounB1general
Use 'sequía' for a general, long-term lack of rainfall, often impacting a wide area or causing significant environmental or societal issues.

Examples

Muchos países están sufriendo una sequía severa.

Many countries are suffering from a severe drought.

seca

SEH-kahˈse.ka

nounB1general
Use 'seca' when referring to a dry spell, particularly one that has a direct and negative impact on agriculture or a specific, localized area.
A vast, desolate landscape showing a riverbed completely empty of water, with deep cracks in the mud and distant bare hills, symbolizing a long dry spell.

Examples

La cosecha se perdió por la gran seca de este verano.

The harvest was lost due to the great drought this summer.

Estamos esperando las lluvias para que termine la seca.

We are waiting for the rains for the dry spell to end.

Noun/Adjective Distinction

When used as a noun, it almost always refers to a weather event (drought). The more common word for 'drought' is 'sequía', but 'seca' is widely understood, especially regionally.

General vs. Specific Drought

Learners often confuse 'seca' and 'sequía' by using 'seca' too broadly. Remember that 'sequía' is the standard, widely applicable term for drought. Reserve 'seca' for situations where the dryness is a more specific, impactful event, especially concerning harvests or local conditions.

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