Inklingo

How to Say "flames" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “flames” is “fuegos” — use 'fuegos' when referring to fires in a broader sense, such as multiple incidents of fire or the general phenomenon of fire..

English → Spanish

fuegos

/FWAY-gos//ˈfwe.ɣos/

nounA2general
Use 'fuegos' when referring to fires in a broader sense, such as multiple incidents of fire or the general phenomenon of fire.
Three distinct, brightly burning orange and yellow bonfires set on the ground.

Examples

Los bomberos lucharon contra varios fuegos en el edificio.

The firefighters fought against several fires in the building.

Vimos los fuegos de la hoguera desde lejos.

We saw the flames of the bonfire from afar.

Counting Fires

This meaning is the simple plural of 'fuego.' Use it when you are referring to more than one distinct fire or multiple sources of flames.

llamas

/YA-mas//'ʝa.mas/

nounA2general
Use 'llamas' specifically for the visible, flickering part of a fire, the actual flames you see rising.
A cluster of tall, intense, bright orange and yellow fire flames rising against a dark background.

Examples

Las llamas del fuego eran muy altas y anaranjadas.

The flames from the fire were very high and orange.

Los bomberos lucharon para apagar las llamas.

The firefighters fought to put out the flames.

Always Feminine

Just like the animal, 'llama' meaning 'flame' is a feminine word. So you'll always hear 'la llama' for one flame and 'las llamas' for multiple flames.

Confusing with the Verb

Mistake: “¿Cómo te llamas el fuego?”

Correction: This mistake mixes up the verb 'you call' with the noun 'flames'. The question doesn't make sense. To talk about the flames of the fire, you'd say 'Mira las llamas del fuego' (Look at the flames of the fire).

Fuegos vs. Llamas

The most common mistake is using 'fuegos' when you mean the actual visible flames. Remember, 'fuegos' refers to the fire incident(s) as a whole, while 'llamas' are the tongues of fire itself.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.