Inklingo

How to Say "root" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “root” is “raíz” — use 'raíz' when referring to the part of a plant that grows underground, or metaphorically for the origin or source of something abstract like a problem or idea..

English → Spanish

raíz

nounA2general
Use 'raíz' when referring to the part of a plant that grows underground, or metaphorically for the origin or source of something abstract like a problem or idea.

Examples

La raíz del problema fue la falta de comunicación.

The root of the problem was the lack of communication.

raíz

nounA2general
Use 'raíz' specifically for the underground part of a plant.

Examples

Las raíces del árbol son muy profundas.

The roots of the tree are very deep.

radical

/rah-dee-KAHL//raðiˈkal/

nounC1academic
Use 'radical' when referring to the base or fundamental part of a word in linguistics, or the root symbol in mathematics.
A small green sprout growing out of a brown seed with long, visible roots spreading into the soil.

Examples

En matemáticas, el signo de la raíz se llama radical.

In mathematics, the root sign is called a radical.

Para conjugar el verbo, primero identifica el radical.

To conjugate the verb, first identify the root.

The 'Root' of the Matter

In language learning, the 'radical' is the part of the word that stays the same while the endings change.

Raíz vs. Radical

Learners often confuse 'raíz' and 'radical' because both can relate to a 'base' or 'origin'. Remember that 'raíz' is the common word for plant roots and the source of problems, while 'radical' is specific to linguistic roots (word parts) and mathematical roots.

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