pobreza
Lemma Details
Translation: poverty; poorness; destitution; indigence; penury
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: Derived from the Latin 'paupertas' (poverty), which comes from 'pauper' (poor). The English word 'poverty' shares the same Latin root, making them cognates. The Spanish word evolved through Vulgar Latin, with the characteristic shift from Latin 'pau-' to Spanish 'po-'. The suffix '-eza' is a common Spanish noun-forming element indicating a state or quality, similar to English '-ness' or '-ty'.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
La pobreza afecta a millones de personas en todo el mundo.
Poverty affects millions of people around the world.
Trabajan para erradicar la pobreza infantil.
They work to eradicate child poverty.
La pobreza no es solo falta de dinero, sino también de oportunidades.
Poverty is not just a lack of money, but also of opportunities.
Vive en condiciones de extrema pobreza.
He lives in conditions of extreme poverty.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'poor' + '-eza' (which creates nouns in Spanish) = 'pobreza' (the state of being poor)
- Remember that 'pobreza' sounds similar to 'poverty' in English
- Associate with the phrase 'pobre za gente' (poor are these people) to remember it refers to the condition of being poor
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, discussions about 'pobreza' often intersect with social policy, economic development, and religious contexts. In Catholic traditions, 'pobreza' can have spiritual connotations, as in 'voto de pobreza' (vow of poverty) taken by some religious orders. The concept is frequently discussed in Latin American social and political discourse due to significant economic inequality in many countries of the region.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Pobreza' means 'poverty' while 'pereza' means 'laziness' or 'sloth'. They look and sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Confused word:
La pereza le impide terminar sus tareas.
Laziness prevents him from finishing his tasks.
Notes: These words differ by just one letter but belong to completely different semantic fields.
Mnemonic: 'Pobreza' starts with 'pob-' like 'poor', while 'pereza' starts with 'per-' which you can associate with 'procrastination'.
Explanation: 'Pobreza' means 'poverty' while 'pureza' means 'purity'. They have similar endings but different meanings.
Confused word:
La pureza del agua es importante para la salud.
The purity of water is important for health.
Notes: Both are abstract nouns ending in '-eza' but refer to completely different concepts.
Mnemonic: 'Pureza' contains 'pure' which helps remember it means 'purity'.