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noun

el estanque

pond

Es un lugar pequeño donde se acumula agua, como una charca o un depósito, y suele estar al aire libre.

Definition & meaning

Estanque is a masculine Spanish noun meaning:

  1. Pond: a small body of still water, usually natural or artificial, often found in gardens, parks, or farms.

    • El estanque está lleno de peces. — “The pond is full of fish.”

  2. Tank or reservoir: a container or structure used to store liquids, especially water or industrial substances.

    • El agua se almacena en un estanque grande. — “The water is stored in a large tank.”

The word generally suggests still or contained water, rather than water that is flowing freely.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Gender: masculine
  • Article: el estanque
  • Plural: los estanques
  • Pronunciation: approximately es-TAN-ke

It is related to the idea of containing or stopping water. Its historical origin is commonly associated with older Romance forms connected with stopping or containing liquid, although its exact etymological development is not completely straightforward.

Estanque can also be the first- or third-person singular present subjunctive form of the verb estancar , meaning “to stop,” “to block,” or “to cause something to stagnate”:

  • Es posible que el barro estanque el canal. — “It is possible that the mud blocks the channel.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • laguna — lagoon or small lake; usually larger or more natural than an estanque.
  • charca — pond or pool, often smaller, shallower, or less carefully maintained.
  • depósito — reservoir or storage tank; emphasizes its function as a place for storing liquid.
  • alberca — pool or water reservoir, commonly used in some regions, especially Mexico and parts of Spain.

Antonyms

There is no exact antonym for estanque. Depending on the intended contrast, related opposites may include:

  • río — river, emphasizing continuously flowing water.
  • corriente — current or flow of water, contrasting with the stillness of an estanque.
  • desagüe — drain or outlet, contrasting with a structure designed to contain water.

Common phrases & collocations

  • estanque de peces [?](vocabuo://word/estanque de peces) — fish pond
  • estanque de jardín [?](vocabuo://word/estanque de jardín) — garden pond
  • estanque artificial [?](vocabuo://word/estanque artificial) — artificial pond
  • estanque de agua [?](vocabuo://word/estanque de agua) — water tank or reservoir
  • llenar el estanque [?](vocabuo://word/llenar el estanque) — to fill the pond or tank
  • vaciar el estanque [?](vocabuo://word/vaciar el estanque) — to empty the pond or tank
  • agua estancada [?](vocabuo://word/agua estancada) — stagnant water

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Examples

Nos sentamos junto al estanque para disfrutar de la tarde.noun

We sat by the pond to enjoy the afternoon.

Los niños observaron los peces que nadaban en los estanques del jardín.noun

The children watched the fish that swam in the ponds of the garden.

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