agua
El agua es esencial para la vida.
Water is essential for life.
A clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid essential for life and hydration.
Necesito beber agua todos los días.
I need to drink water every day.
El agua del grifo es potable en esta ciudad.
Tap water is drinkable in this city.
Used in phrases like 'agua dulce' (freshwater) and 'agua salada' (saltwater).
A body of water such as a river, lake, or sea.
El agua del lago está muy clara hoy.
The lake water is very clear today.
Common in place names (e.g., 'Agua Caliente').
Collocations
Pro Tip
Gender Agreement
Remember that 'agua' is feminine, so adjectives and articles must agree (e.g., 'el agua fría' is correct, not 'la agua fría').
Gold Rule
Definite Article
Use 'el' before 'agua' even though it is feminine (e.g., 'el agua', 'el agua fría'). This is due to the initial 'a-' sound, which historically caused the article to change.
Word Origin
From Latin 'aqua', which also means 'water'. The word has remained largely unchanged in Spanish since its adoption.
Usage Notes
In Spanish, 'agua' is feminine, so it uses feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., 'el agua fría' but 'la agua fría' in some dialects is incorrect; standard is 'el agua fría').