cielo
Lemma Details
Translation: sky; heaven; ceiling
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'caelum' meaning 'sky, heaven'. The Latin word evolved into Spanish 'cielo' through regular sound changes. English cognates include 'celestial', 'ceiling', and 'Celeste'. The connection between 'sky' and 'ceiling' is conceptual - both represent what is above us.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 60%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'celestial' in English - both relate to the sky and heavens.
- Imagine a 'ceiling' as a mini 'cielo' (sky) inside your house.
- The 'ie' in 'cielo' sounds like 'ye' - imagine looking up and saying 'yeah!' to the sky.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, 'cielo' is commonly used as a term of endearment (mi cielo - my heaven/darling). It also has strong religious connotations in predominantly Catholic countries, where 'el cielo' refers to heaven as a religious concept.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Cielo' (sky/heaven) has an 'i' while 'celo' (zeal/jealousy) doesn't. They sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The 'ie' diphthong in 'cielo' creates a distinct pronunciation from the single 'e' in 'celo'.
Mnemonic: 'i' in 'cielo' points up to the sky; no 'i' in 'celo' means it's about earthly emotions.
Explanation: 'Cielo' refers to what's above (sky/ceiling) while 'suelo' refers to what's below (ground/floor).
Confused word:
No tires basura al suelo.
Don't throw trash on the ground.
Notes: These words form a natural opposite pair in Spanish, representing the vertical extremes of space.
Mnemonic: 'Cielo' starts with 'c' for 'ceiling' (above); 'suelo' starts with 's' for 'surface' (below).