el combustible
fuel
Es una sustancia que se puede quemar para producir energía, como la gasolina o la madera.
Definition & meaning
Combustible is both an adjective and a noun in Spanish.
-
Adjective: flammable, combustible
It describes something that can burn or be used to produce fire.- material combustible — combustible material
- sustancia combustible — flammable substance
-
Noun: fuel
It refers to a substance burned to produce energy, especially for vehicles, heating, or industry.- El coche necesita combustible. — The car needs fuel.
- El precio del combustible ha aumentado. — The price of fuel has increased.
The noun is usually masculine: el combustible. The adjective has the forms combustible for both masculine and feminine singular, and combustibles in the plural.
Grammar & Word origin
- Part of speech: adjective and masculine noun
- Plural: combustibles
- Pronunciation: approximately kom-boos-TEE-bleh
The word comes from Latin combustibilis, meaning “capable of being burned,” from combūrere, “to burn completely.” It is related to the Spanish word combustión , meaning “combustion.”
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
As an adjective:
- inflamable — flammable; often emphasizes that something catches fire easily. Combustible is somewhat broader and simply indicates that it can burn.
- ardiente — burning or hot; it usually describes something already burning or intensely hot rather than merely capable of burning.
As a noun:
- carburante — fuel, especially fuel used in engines; it is more technical than combustible.
- 燃料 is not Spanish and is therefore not a Spanish synonym.
Antonyms
- incombustible — non-combustible; unable to burn under normal conditions.
- ignífugo — fire-resistant or flame-retardant. Unlike incombustible, it does not necessarily mean that the material can never burn; it may resist or slow combustion.
Common phrases & collocations
Make “combustible” part of your vocabulary.
Build your Spanish vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
El coche necesita más combustible para continuar el viaje.noun
The car needs more fuel to continue the trip.
El avión no tiene suficiente combustible hoy.noun
The plane does not have enough fuel today.
Keep exploring Spanish
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad