área

area, zone

noun AH-reh-ah Common

Usage Note

Área is feminine but takes the masculine article in the singular to avoid the clash of two 'a' sounds: el área (not la área), just like el agua and el alma. In the plural it reverts to feminine: las áreas. The written accent marks the stress on the first syllable. It is used in both geographical and abstract senses.

Examples

"El área metropolitana tiene millones de habitantes."

Natural Translation

The metropolitan area has millions of inhabitants.

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