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A2 verb #3,500 mais comum 10 min de leitura

contaminar

Top 3,500

Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas contaminar em 30 segundos

Explicação contaminar in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'contaminar' is introduced as a basic verb related to the environment. Students learn it alongside words like 'agua', 'aire', and 'basura'. The focus is on simple cause-and-effect sentences. For example, 'Los coches contaminan el aire.' At this stage, the student should recognize the word in the context of recycling and keeping the city clean. The grammar is limited to the present indicative tense. It's important for A1 learners to distinguish 'contaminar' from 'ensuciar' (to get dirty), though they might use them interchangeably at first. The goal is to understand that 'contaminar' is something bad for nature. Teachers often use images of smoke from factories or trash in a lake to illustrate the concept. Simple imperatives like '¡No contamines!' are also common in this phase.

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At the A2 level, students expand their use of 'contaminar' to include more varied subjects and objects. They begin to use the past tense (Pretérito Indefinido and Imperfecto) to talk about environmental events. For example, 'La semana pasada, una fábrica contaminó el río local.' They also learn the noun 'contaminación' and the adjective 'contaminado'. At this level, the concept of 'contaminación acústica' (noise pollution) or 'contaminación lumínica' (light pollution) might be introduced, showing that it's not just about trash. Students can describe their cities using these terms. They also start to see the word in health contexts, such as 'comida contaminada'. The focus remains on physical things, but the vocabulary surrounding the word becomes richer, including verbs like 'proteger' or 'reciclar' as solutions to 'contaminar'.

At the B1 level, the usage of 'contaminar' becomes more sophisticated, incorporating the subjunctive mood and more complex sentence structures. Students might say, 'Es terrible que las empresas contaminen tanto.' They also begin to use the word in metaphorical contexts, such as 'contaminar la mente' or 'contaminar una relación'. The reflexive form 'contaminarse' becomes more frequent, especially when discussing how people or things become affected by their surroundings. B1 learners are expected to participate in debates about the environment, using 'contaminar' to argue points about sustainability. They also learn more technical synonyms and related terms like 'emisiones', 'residuos', and 'vertidos'. The distinction between 'contaminar' and 'infectar' is clarified in medical and scientific contexts at this stage.

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At the B2 level, 'contaminar' is used with high frequency in academic and professional discussions. Students can handle technical texts about ecology, chemistry, and law where 'contaminar' appears. They understand the nuances of 'contaminación cruzada' in food safety or 'contaminación de pruebas' in legal settings. The use of the passive voice ('El ecosistema fue contaminado') and the 'se' impersonal ('Se contamina el agua si no hay filtros') is common. B2 learners can discuss the global impact of pollution using advanced grammar like conditional sentences: 'Si no dejáramos de contaminar, el planeta no sobreviviría.' They also explore the word's role in linguistics (language contamination) and sociology (social contamination). The focus is on precision and using the word in the appropriate register.

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At the C1 level, the student has a near-native grasp of 'contaminar' and its various connotations. They can use it to describe subtle corruption in systems, ideologies, or scientific data. A C1 speaker might discuss how 'la ideología contamina el análisis objetivo de los datos' or how 'el ruido mediático contamina el discurso político'. They are comfortable with all idiomatic and technical uses. They can write complex essays on environmental policy, using 'contaminar' alongside a wide array of synonyms like 'viciar', 'corromper', 'alterar', or 'adulterar'. The student understands the historical and etymological weight of the word. They can also detect when 'contaminar' is used rhetorically to evoke a sense of danger or moral failing in non-physical contexts.

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At the C2 level, the mastery of 'contaminar' is complete, allowing for its use in philosophical, literary, and highly specialized professional contexts. The speaker can appreciate the word's use in poetry or high-level academic critiques. They might analyze how a certain translation 'contamina' the original meaning of a text or how systemic biases 'contaminan' the very foundations of a societal structure. A C2 learner uses the word with perfect precision, choosing it over synonyms to convey exactly the right level of 'impurity' or 'harm'. They are also aware of regional variations in usage across the Spanish-speaking world and can navigate technical jargon in fields like nuclear physics or forensic pathology where 'contaminar' has specific regulatory definitions.

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contaminar em 30 segundos

Contaminar is a regular Spanish verb meaning to pollute or contaminate, used for environmental, medical, and abstract contexts involving impurity.
Commonly paired with air, water, and soil, it also describes the corruption of ideas, evidence, or language through external influences.
It differs from 'ensuciar' (surface dirt) and 'infectar' (biological disease in a host), focusing instead on the presence of harmful agents.
Essential for discussing climate change, health safety, and social integrity, it is a key term for A2-level Spanish learners and beyond.

The Spanish verb contaminar is a high-frequency term that primarily describes the act of polluting or tainting something. While English speakers often immediately think of environmental pollution, the Spanish scope of this word is remarkably broad, covering biological, physical, and even abstract concepts. At its core, contaminar implies the introduction of an external, often harmful element into a pure or controlled environment. This could be toxic chemicals in a river, a virus in a laboratory sample, or even a biased opinion in a legal proceeding. Understanding contaminar is essential for discussing modern issues like climate change, health safety, and social integrity.

Environmental Context: This is the most common usage. It refers to the degradation of natural resources like air, water, and soil through human activity or industrial waste.

El humo de los coches suele contaminar el aire de las grandes ciudades.

Beyond the environment, contaminar is frequently used in scientific and medical settings. In a lab, if a sterile sample comes into contact with bacteria, it is said to be contaminado. This is a critical distinction from 'infectar' (to infect), as contaminar refers to the presence of the agent, while 'infectar' usually implies the biological process of disease taking hold. In daily life, you might hear this word regarding food safety, where raw meat might contaminar other ingredients on a cutting board.

Metaphorical Usage: Used to describe the corruption of ideas, feelings, or processes. For example, a witness's testimony might be 'contaminated' by reading news reports before testifying.

No dejes que los prejuicios logren contaminar tu juicio sobre esta persona.

In linguistics, contaminar refers to the influence of one language or dialect on another, often leading to loanwords or altered grammar. For instance, the use of 'anglicismos' can be seen as a way to contaminar the purity of a language, though linguists view this as a natural evolution. Socially, the word can also describe the spread of negative attitudes or 'toxic' behaviors within a group. If one person has a bad attitude, they might contaminar the entire team's morale.

Technical Nuance: In radiation and chemistry, it specifically refers to the presence of radioactive or hazardous materials on surfaces where they are not intended to be.

Es peligroso contaminar el equipo médico con sustancias no esterilizadas.

Using contaminar correctly requires an understanding of its transitive nature and its reflexive forms. As a transitive verb, it takes a direct object—the thing being polluted. For example, 'The factory pollutes the river' translates to 'La fábrica contamina el río.' The subject is the agent of pollution, and the object is the victim. However, when we talk about things becoming polluted without a specific agent, we often use the reflexive form contaminarse or the passive voice.

Transitive Construction: Subject + Contaminar + Object. This focuses on who or what is doing the damaging action.

Los pesticidas pueden contaminar las aguas subterráneas fácilmente.

When the focus is on the state of being polluted, we use the past participle contaminado/a. This functions as an adjective. You will frequently see this on warning signs: 'Agua contaminada' (Contaminated water). In more advanced grammar, the reflexive contaminarse is used to describe a process of becoming tainted: 'El aire se contaminó rápidamente' (The air became contaminated quickly). This reflexive usage is common when the cause is environmental or systemic rather than a single direct action by a person.

Reflexive and Passive: Se + Contaminar. Used when the subject undergoes the process of pollution.

Si no tenemos cuidado, la muestra se va a contaminar.

In academic or formal writing, you might encounter 'contaminar' with abstract nouns. 'Contaminar el debate' (to pollute the debate) or 'contaminar la pureza de la lengua' (to pollute the purity of the language). In these cases, the verb acts as a synonym for 'corromper' or 'alterar negativamente'. It's important to note that 'contaminar' always carries a negative connotation. You would never use it to describe adding something positive to a mixture.

Common Collocations: Pair it with: medio ambiente, ecosistema, atmósfera, mente, pruebas, proceso.

No permitas que las malas noticias logren contaminar tu felicidad.

You will encounter contaminar in various real-world scenarios, ranging from the evening news to professional environments. In Spanish-speaking countries, environmental activism is a major topic, so news segments about 'crisis climática' or 'desastres ecológicos' will use this word incessantly. If there is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico or a plastic problem in the Mediterranean, reporters will describe how these events contaminan the maritime ecosystem. It is a staple of scientific literacy and civic engagement.

In the Media: Headlines often use the noun form 'contaminación', but the verb is used to describe ongoing actions of companies or governments.

La noticia decía que la minería ilegal sigue contaminando los ríos de la selva.

In the workplace, specifically in healthcare, food service, or laboratories, contaminar is a daily word. Doctors and nurses discuss how to avoid contaminar the sterile field during surgery. Chefs and kitchen staff are trained on 'contaminación cruzada' (cross-contamination), explaining how raw chicken can contaminar vegetables if the same board is used. If you work in any industry governed by health and safety regulations, this verb is part of your core vocabulary.

Legal and Forensic Dramas: If you watch shows like 'CSI' in Spanish or legal thrillers, you'll hear about 'contaminar las pruebas' (contaminating evidence).

El abogado argumentó que la policía logró contaminar la escena antes de recoger el ADN.

Lastly, in political and social discourse, the word is used to describe 'toxic' environments. When a political campaign is full of lies, people might say they are contaminando the public opinion. In a more casual sense, if someone is being very negative in a group chat, a friend might say, '¡No nos contamines con tu pesimismo!' (Don't infect us with your pessimism!). This shows the flexibility of the word from high-level science to everyday social interactions.

Public Service Announcements: Government campaigns often use the imperative: '¡No contamines! Mantén limpia tu ciudad.'

Es responsabilidad de todos no contaminar los parques públicos.

For English speakers, the most common mistake is confusing contaminar with other 'dirty' verbs like 'ensuciar', 'manchar', or 'infectar'. While they all relate to lack of cleanliness, they are not interchangeable. Ensuciar simply means to get something dirty (like mud on shoes). Contaminar implies a deeper, often invisible or systemic level of impurity. You ensucias your shirt, but you contaminas a river. Using contaminar for a dirty shirt would sound overly dramatic, as if the shirt were now toxic or radioactive.

Contaminar vs. Infectar: Use 'infectar' for biological diseases in living organisms. Use 'contaminar' for the presence of pathogens in objects or environments.

Incorrecto: El virus va a contaminar a mi hermano. (Use 'infectar' instead).

Another frequent error is the misuse of the noun vs. verb. Students often say 'Hay mucha contaminar' instead of 'Hay mucha contaminación'. Remember that contaminar is the action (to pollute), and contaminación is the phenomenon (pollution). Additionally, watch out for the adjective contaminante. It describes things that *cause* pollution (like plastic), whereas contaminado describes things that *are* polluted (like the ocean). Confusing these two can change the meaning of your sentence entirely.

Preposition Usage: Always use 'con' to indicate the pollutant. Avoid using 'por' unless you are describing the agent (passive voice).

El río fue contaminado por la fábrica con productos químicos.

Lastly, be careful with the reflexive. If you say 'Yo me contamino', it implies you are exposing yourself to something harmful (like radiation or a toxic idea). If you just want to say you got dirty with mud, use 'Me ensucié'. The weight of the word contaminar is significant; it suggests a loss of purity or safety that is hard to reverse. Overusing it for trivial matters can make your Spanish sound unnatural or hyperbolic.

False Friend Alert: While 'contaminate' and 'contaminar' are true cognates, the Spanish word is used much more frequently in everyday environmental contexts than the English one.

Tirar basura puede contaminar el suelo durante décadas.

To enrich your Spanish, it's helpful to know words that are similar to contaminar but offer different nuances. Depending on the context, you might want to be more specific about the type of 'contamination' or pollution you are describing. For example, if you are talking about the moral or ethical degradation of someone, corromper is a powerful alternative. If you are talking about air that is no longer fresh, viciar is the perfect technical term.

Contaminar vs. Corromper: 'Contaminar' is physical or systemic; 'Corromper' is moral, political, or structural (like a file or a politician).

El dinero fácil puede corromper a los funcionarios públicos.

In environmental science, you might hear degradar. This refers to the breaking down of an ecosystem's quality. While contaminar focuses on the introduction of bad things, degradar focuses on the loss of the good. Another useful word is intoxicar, which is used when the contamination leads to poisoning. If you eat food that was contaminado with bacteria, you will likely end up intoxicado (suffering from food poisoning).

Contaminar vs. Ensuciar: 'Ensuciar' is for surface dirt (mud, dust). 'Contaminar' is for dangerous or systemic impurity (chemicals, germs).

No es lo mismo ensuciar el suelo que contaminar el acuífero.

For the opposite action, the most common verb is purificar (to purify) or limpiar (to clean). In environmental contexts, descontaminar is the direct antonym, meaning to remove the pollutants. In a medical setting, esterilizar (to sterilize) is the specific action taken to ensure no contamination occurs. Knowing these nuances allows you to speak about health, science, and the environment with the precision of a native speaker.

Summary of Alternatives: Infectar (biological), Corromper (moral/data), Viciar (air), Ensuciar (surface), Manchar (stain).

Debemos evitar viciar el aire de la oficina con tanto humo.

How Formal Is It?

Curiosidade

In ancient times, it was often used in a religious context to describe the desecration of sacred places or objects.

Guia de pronúncia

UK /kɒn.tæm.ɪ.neɪ/

US /kənˈtæm.ə.neɪt/

In Spanish, the stress is on the last syllable 'nar' because it is an infinitive ending in 'r'. [kon-ta-mi-NAR]

Rima com

caminar terminar iluminar examinar cocinar adivinar imaginar eliminar

Erros comuns

Stressing the 'mi' syllable (English influence).
Pronouncing the 't' as an English aspirated 't' instead of a soft Spanish 't'.
Confusing the 'o' sound with a schwa.
Merging the 'n' and 't' sounds too closely.
Failing to vibrate the final 'r' slightly.

Nível de dificuldade

Leitura 2/5

Easy to recognize due to the English cognate 'contaminate'.

Escrita 3/5

Requires correct conjugation and understanding of noun/adjective forms.

Expressão oral 3/5

Tricky stress on the last syllable and soft 't' sound.

Audição 2/5

Usually clear in context, especially in news or science topics.

O que aprender depois

Pré-requisitos

agua aire sucio limpio fábrica

Aprenda a seguir

medio ambiente reciclaje sostenible ecológico residuos

Avançado

biodegradable ecosistema acuífero emisiones vertido

Gramática essencial

Regular -ar verb conjugation

Yo contamino, tú contaminas, él contamina.

Passive voice with 'ser'

El aire es contaminado por las industrias.

Reflexive 'se' for accidental events

La muestra se contaminó sin querer.

Adjective agreement

Aguas contaminadas (feminine plural).

Subjunctive for doubt/emotion

No quiero que contamines el río.

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Exemplos por nível

Los coches contaminan el aire.

Cars pollute the air.

Present indicative, 3rd person plural.

No debemos contaminar el agua.

We must not pollute the water.

Infinitive after 'deber'.

La basura contamina el parque.

The trash pollutes the park.

Subject-verb agreement.

Las fábricas contaminan mucho.

Factories pollute a lot.

Adverb 'mucho' modifying the verb.

¡No contamines la playa!

Don't pollute the beach!

Negative imperative (subjunctive form).

El plástico contamina el mar.

Plastic pollutes the sea.

Simple present.

Tú contaminas cuando tiras papel.

You pollute when you throw paper.

Second person singular.

Nosotros no queremos contaminar.

We don't want to pollute.

Infinitive after 'querer'.

El río está contaminado por la fábrica.

The river is contaminated by the factory.

Passive state with 'estar' + past participle.

Ayer vi cómo alguien contaminaba el bosque.

Yesterday I saw how someone was polluting the forest.

Imperfect indicative for ongoing action in the past.

Hay mucha contaminación en esta ciudad.

There is a lot of pollution in this city.

Noun form 'contaminación'.

Es malo contaminar el medio ambiente.

It is bad to pollute the environment.

Impersonal expression 'es + adjective'.

La comida se contaminó con bacterias.

The food became contaminated with bacteria.

Reflexive 'se' for accidental process.

Usa menos el coche para no contaminar.

Use the car less so as not to pollute.

Para + infinitive.

Ese producto es muy contaminante.

That product is very polluting.

Adjective 'contaminante' (polluting).

Ellos contaminaron el suelo con aceite.

They contaminated the soil with oil.

Pretérito indefinido.

Dudo que esta empresa deje de contaminar.

I doubt that this company will stop polluting.

Present subjunctive after 'dudar'.

Si contaminas el agua, los peces mueren.

If you pollute the water, the fish die.

First conditional (real).

Se han contaminado las muestras de sangre.

The blood samples have become contaminated.

Present perfect reflexive.

No dejes que el odio contamine tu corazón.

Don't let hatred contaminate your heart.

Metaphorical usage.

Es necesario que no contaminemos los ríos.

It is necessary that we do not pollute the rivers.

Subjunctive after 'es necesario que'.

La noticia contaminó la opinión pública.

The news contaminated public opinion.

Abstract usage in sociology.

El aire se está contaminando rápidamente.

The air is being contaminated quickly.

Present progressive reflexive.

Me preocupa que estemos contaminando tanto.

It worries me that we are polluting so much.

Subjunctive after a verb of emotion.

La zona fue evacuada por estar contaminada.

The area was evacuated for being contaminated.

Passive construction with 'ser' (implied).

El vertido de petróleo logró contaminar toda la costa.

The oil spill managed to contaminate the entire coast.

Focus on the extent of the action.

Evita la contaminación cruzada en la cocina.

Avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen.

Technical term: 'contaminación cruzada'.

Si hubiéramos contaminado menos, el clima sería distinto.

If we had polluted less, the climate would be different.

Third conditional (hypothetical past).

El informe fue contaminado por intereses políticos.

The report was contaminated by political interests.

Abstract usage in professional context.

Es ilegal contaminar los acuíferos subterráneos.

It is illegal to contaminate underground aquifers.

Formal/legal context.

Las partículas finas contaminan nuestros pulmones.

Fine particles contaminate our lungs.

Biological/Health context.

La pureza del experimento se vio contaminada.

The purity of the experiment was contaminated.

Passive voice with 'verse'.

El discurso demagógico tiende a contaminar el debate.

Demagogic speech tends to contaminate the debate.

Nuanced metaphorical usage.

La escena del crimen quedó contaminada por los curiosos.

The crime scene was contaminated by onlookers.

Forensic terminology.

Ciertas traducciones contaminan la esencia del original.

Certain translations contaminate the essence of the original.

Linguistic/Literary context.

No podemos permitir que el pesimismo contamine la empresa.

We cannot allow pessimism to contaminate the company.

Organizational psychology context.

El radón puede contaminar los sótanos de forma natural.

Radon can contaminate basements naturally.

Scientific/Environmental context.

La muestra de control se contaminó accidentalmente.

The control sample was accidentally contaminated.

Technical reflexive usage.

Su testimonio está contaminado por prejuicios previos.

His testimony is contaminated by prior prejudices.

Legal nuance.

La industria pesada sigue contaminando impunemente.

Heavy industry continues to pollute with impunity.

Socio-political critique.

La hibridación cultural a veces se percibe como contaminar la tradición.

Cultural hybridization is sometimes perceived as contaminating tradition.

Sophisticated abstract discussion.

El sesgo cognitivo contamina inevitablemente el razonamiento puro.

Cognitive bias inevitably contaminates pure reasoning.

Philosophical/Psychological context.

La presencia de trazas de maní puede contaminar toda la línea de producción.

The presence of peanut traces can contaminate the entire production line.

High-level industrial safety.

La retórica del odio contamina el tejido social de la nación.

The rhetoric of hatred contaminates the social fabric of the nation.

Sociological metaphor.

Es imperativo no contaminar la integridad de los datos brutos.

It is imperative not to contaminate the integrity of the raw data.

Data science terminology.

La infiltración de agua salada logró contaminar el pozo de agua dulce.

Saltwater infiltration managed to contaminate the freshwater well.

Geological/Hydrological context.

El autor temía que el éxito comercial contaminara su visión artística.

The author feared that commercial success would contaminate his artistic vision.

Literary/Aesthetic context.

La zona de exclusión permanecerá contaminada durante milenios.

The exclusion zone will remain contaminated for millennia.

Long-term environmental impact.

Colocações comuns

contaminar el medio ambiente

contaminar el agua

contaminar el aire

contaminar la mente

contaminar las pruebas

contaminar una muestra

contaminación acústica

contaminación lumínica

contaminación cruzada

zona contaminada

Frases Comuns

No contamines

— A general instruction or plea to stop polluting the environment.

¡No contamines! Tira la basura en su lugar.

Estar contaminado/a

— To be in a state of impurity or pollution.

El lago está contaminado y no se puede nadar.

Contaminación ambiental

— A formal way to refer to environmental pollution.

La contaminación ambiental es un problema global.

Niveles de contaminación

— The measured amount of pollutants in a specific area.

Hoy los niveles de contaminación son muy altos.

Agente contaminante

— The substance or person that causes the contamination.

El mercurio es un agente contaminante muy peligroso.

Cero contaminación

— A goal or policy of having no environmental impact.

Buscamos un modelo de transporte con cero contaminación.

Contaminar el juicio

— To influence someone's opinion in a biased or unfair way.

Sus comentarios lograron contaminar el juicio del jurado.

Contaminación del suelo

— Pollution specifically affecting the earth or ground.

La contaminación del suelo afecta a los cultivos.

Protocolo de contaminación

— Steps taken when high pollution levels are detected.

La ciudad activó el protocolo de contaminación por el smog.

Sin contaminar

— In a state of purity, untouched by pollutants.

Buscamos una fuente de agua sin contaminar.

Frequentemente confundido com

contaminar vs ensuciar

Ensuciar is for surface dirt; contaminar is for harmful substances.

contaminar vs infectar

Infectar is for living beings; contaminar is for objects or environments.

contaminar vs polucionar

Polucionar is a rare synonym; always prefer contaminar.

Expressões idiomáticas

"Contaminar el ambiente"

— To ruin the mood or atmosphere of a social gathering with bad vibes.

Su mala actitud terminó por contaminar el ambiente de la fiesta.

informal

"Estar contaminado de"

— To be heavily influenced by a specific ideology or habit.

Ese político está contaminado de viejas ideas.

neutral

"Contaminación visual"

— An excess of signs, lights, or ugly buildings that ruin a view.

Hay demasiada contaminación visual en esta calle comercial.

neutral

"Contaminar el pozo"

— To preemptively ruin someone's reputation so their words aren't believed (poisoning the well).

Él intentó contaminar el pozo antes de que yo hablara.

formal

"Contaminación de ideas"

— When different thoughts get mixed up, leading to confusion.

La contaminación de ideas en el proyecto fue un desastre.

academic

"Aire contaminado"

— Can refer to a 'toxic' social environment.

Se respira un aire contaminado en esa oficina.

metaphorical

"Contaminar la lengua"

— To use too many foreign words or slang in a formal language.

Dicen que el Spanglish contamina la lengua española.

linguistic

"Cuerpo contaminado"

— Often used in religious or moral contexts for lack of purity.

Sentía su cuerpo contaminado por el pecado.

archaic/literary

"Contaminación radioactiva"

— A literal but very heavy phrase used for extreme danger.

La contaminación radioactiva durará siglos.

scientific

"No me contamines"

— Don't pass your bad mood or sickness to me.

¡No me contamines con tu gripe!

informal

Fácil de confundir

contaminar vs contaminante

Often confused with 'contaminado'.

'Contaminante' is the thing that pollutes; 'contaminado' is the thing that is polluted.

El plástico es contaminante; el mar está contaminado.

contaminar vs contaminación

Confusing the noun with the verb.

'Contaminación' is the noun (pollution); 'contaminar' is the action (to pollute).

Hay mucha contaminación porque las fábricas contaminan.

contaminar vs infectar

Both relate to 'germs'.

Use 'infectar' for a person getting sick; 'contaminar' for the food they ate.

La bacteria contaminó la carne e infectó al niño.

contaminar vs corromper

Both mean making something 'bad'.

'Corromper' is for morals, politics, or files; 'contaminar' is for physical purity.

El virus contaminó el laboratorio; el soborno corrompió al jefe.

contaminar vs viciar

Both relate to air quality.

'Viciar' is specifically about air losing freshness; 'contaminar' is about air having toxins.

El humo del cigarro vicia el aire.

Padrões de frases

[Sujeto] + contamina + [Objeto]

El humo contamina el aire.

[Sujeto] + está + contaminado/a

El río está contaminado.

Es importante que + [Sujeto] + no contamine

Es importante que la gente no contamine.

[Sujeto] + se contaminó + con + [Sustancia]

La ensalada se contaminó con bacterias.

[Abstracción] + contamina + [Proceso]

El prejuicio contamina la investigación.

[Sujeto] + se ve + contaminado/a + por + [Agente]

La integridad del estudio se vio contaminada por el sesgo.

All

¡No + [Imperativo]!

¡No contamines!

All

Para no + [Infinitive]

Reciclo para no contaminar.

Família de palavras

Substantivos

contaminación

contaminante

Verbos

contaminar

descontaminar

Adjetivos

contaminado

contaminante

incontaminado

Relacionado

suciedad

pureza

ambiente

residuo

tóxico

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Como usar

frequency

Very high in news, science, and education; medium in daily casual conversation.

Erros comuns

Yo contamino a mi perro. → Yo infecto a mi perro (if sick) or Yo ensucio a mi perro (if muddy).
Don't use 'contaminar' for living beings getting sick or dirty.
La ciudad tiene mucho contaminar. → La ciudad tiene mucha contaminación.
Don't use the infinitive verb where a noun is needed.
El agua está contaminante. → El agua está contaminada.
Use 'contaminado' for the state and 'contaminante' for the cause.
No quiero contaminar mi camisa. → No quiero ensuciar mi camisa.
'Contaminar' is too extreme for a simple stain on clothing.
El aire se contaminó por el humo. → El aire se contaminó con el humo.
Use 'con' to indicate the substance causing the pollution.

Dicas

Word Pairing

Always pair 'contaminar' with 'medio ambiente' to sound natural in environmental discussions.

Reflexive Power

Use 'se contaminó' when you don't want to blame a specific person for the pollution.

The Final R

Ensure the final 'r' in 'contaminar' is audible but not overly rolled.

Global Issues

Use this word when discussing global warming or climate change (cambio climático).

Abstract Use

Use it to describe 'toxic' people or bad influences on someone's character.

Warning Signs

Look for 'Agua no potable' or 'Zona contaminada' when traveling in nature.

Formal Tone

In academic writing, use 'la contaminación' as a subject to sound more professional.

News Keywords

Listen for 'emisiones de CO2' and 'contaminar' in environmental news segments.

Double N?

Unlike English 'contamination', the Spanish word only has one 'm' and one 'n' in the middle. Con-ta-mi-nar.

Social Impact

Use it to discuss how fake news (noticias falsas) can 'contaminar' society.

Memorize

Mnemônico

Think of a 'CON' (scam) that is 'TAMING' (making weak) the 'AIR' (nature). CON-TAM-IN-AR.

Associação visual

Imagine a clear glass of water. Now imagine a single drop of black ink falling into it and spreading. That is 'contaminar'.

Word Web

fábrica río humo basura tóxico salud planeta limpiar

Desafio

Try to find three things in your house that could 'contaminar' the environment and name them in Spanish.

Origem da palavra

From the Latin 'contaminare', which means 'to bring into contact' or 'to defile by touching'.

Significado original: Originally used to describe mixing substances together in a way that made the primary one impure.

Romance (Latinate). It shares the same root as the English 'contaminate' and Italian 'contaminare'.

Contexto cultural

Be careful when using it metaphorically about people, as it can be very insulting (implying they are 'toxic').

English speakers use 'pollute' for the environment and 'contaminate' for labs/food. Spanish uses 'contaminar' for both.

The documentary 'La sal de la tierra' Greta Thunberg's speeches translated to Spanish Songs by Maná about the environment

Pratique na vida real

Contextos reais

Environmentalism

No contaminar el planeta
Contaminación del aire
Reducir la contaminación
Contaminantes industriales

Food Safety

Comida contaminada
Contaminación cruzada
Evitar contaminar
Bacterias en la carne

Science/Lab

Muestra contaminada
Contaminar el experimento
Zona de seguridad
Descontaminar el equipo

Legal/Crime

Contaminar las pruebas
Escena contaminada
Testigo contaminado
Integridad de la evidencia

Social/Mood

Ambiente contaminado
No me contamines
Contaminar el debate
Ideas contaminadas

Iniciadores de conversa

"¿Crees que tu ciudad está muy contaminada por el tráfico?"

"¿Qué haces tú en casa para no contaminar el medio ambiente?"

"¿Has oído hablar alguna vez de la contaminación acústica?"

"¿Te preocupa que el plástico contamine todos los océanos?"

"¿Cómo podemos evitar contaminar el agua en nuestra comunidad?"

Temas para diário

Escribe sobre un lugar que solía estar limpio pero ahora está contaminado. ¿Qué pasó?

¿Cómo te sientes cuando ves a alguien contaminar la calle con basura?

Describe un mundo futuro donde nadie logre contaminar el aire. ¿Cómo sería la vida?

¿Crees que las redes sociales pueden contaminar nuestra forma de pensar? Explica por qué.

Haz una lista de cinco acciones diarias para dejar de contaminar tanto el planeta.

Perguntas frequentes

10 perguntas

No es común. Para ropa sucia usa 'ensuciar' o 'manchar'. 'Contaminar' suena a que tu ropa tiene químicos peligrosos o radiación.

'Contaminado' describe algo que ya tiene suciedad o veneno. 'Contaminante' es algo que causa ese daño, como el petróleo.

Sí, es un verbo regular terminado en -ar. Se conjuga igual que 'caminar' o 'hablar' en todos los tiempos.

Se dice 'contaminación acústica'. También puedes oír 'contaminación por ruido', pero la primera es más formal.

Sí, es un uso metafórico común. Por ejemplo, 'Su odio contaminó a toda la familia'. Significa que el sentimiento negativo se extendió.

Los más comunes son 'purificar', 'limpiar' y 'descontaminar' (este último es el proceso técnico de limpieza).

Sí, mucho. Se habla de 'contaminación cruzada' cuando usas el mismo cuchillo para carne cruda y verduras.

Es gramaticalmente correcto pero nadie lo usa en la vida real. Usa siempre 'contaminar'.

Se dice 'contaminado' (masculino) o 'contaminada' (femenino). Ejemplo: 'El aire está contaminado'.

Normalmente se usa 'infectar' para virus informáticos, pero a veces se dice que una base de datos está 'contaminada' con errores.

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