Spanish Words of the Week: Foco vs. Foca – Don’t Get Them Mixed Up!

Introduction

Spanish is full of words that look almost identical but have completely different meanings. This week, we explore foco (masculine) and foca (feminine)—two words separated by just one vowel but worlds apart in meaning!

 Foco = A light, spotlight, or focus
 Foca = A seal (the adorable sea mammal)

Let’s dive into their meanings, uses, and some fun examples!

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 Foco (Masculine) – All About Light & Focus

1. A Spotlight or Floodlight

In theatres, stadiums, and concerts, foco refers to a spotlight or floodlight:

• Tres grandes focos iluminaron el terreno de juego.
  (Three big floodlights lit up the playing field.)

• Por fin, se vio bajo la luz de los focos.
  (She was finally in the spotlight.)

2. Headlights (in Latin America)

In some countries, foco means car or motorbike headlights:

• Apagó los focos del bulldozer.
  (He turned off the bulldozer’s headlights.)

• Los focos de las motos no iluminan gran cosa.
  (Motorbike headlamps don’t give very good light.)

3. Lightbulb (Mexico & Some Regions)

In Mexico, foco can mean lightbulb (while other countries say bombilla):

• El foco de la escalera permanecía encendido durante la noche.
  (The lightbulb over the staircase was left on all night.)

4. Flashlight (Latin America)

In some places, foco = torch or flashlight:

• los focos de los soldados
  (the soldiers’ torches)

5. The Center of Attention

Foco can also mean focus or hub—something central:

• Un perro policía se ha convertido en el foco de atención.
  (A police dog has become the center of attention.)

• un verdadero foco de cultura
  (a real cultural hub)

6. Source of Something (Often Negative)

It can mean the origin or source of a problem:

• Constituyen un foco constante de tensión.
  (They are a constant source of tension.)

7. Camera or Mathematical Focus

In photography and science, foco = focus:

• ¿Cómo se ajusta el foco?
  (How do you adjust the focus?)

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🦭 Foca (Feminine) – The Adorable Seal

1. A Marine Mammal

Foca simply means seal (the animal):

• Hay focas en peligro de extinción.
  (There are seals at risk of extinction.)

• las focas monje del Mediterráneo
  (Mediterranean monk seals)

How to Specify Gender in Animals

Since foca is always grammatically feminine (even for male seals), you clarify with:

• Foca macho = male seal

• Foca hembra = female seal

 "Shao-Shao, la panda hembra del zoo de Madrid."
(Shao-Shao, Madrid Zoo’s female panda.)

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 Did You Know?

• Foco comes from Latin focus (hearth, fireplace), later meaning "center of attention."

• Foca comes from Latin phoca, from Greek phōkē (seal).

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 Quick Quiz!

Which word would you use in these sentences?

1. Los ___ del coche están muy brillantes. (The car’s ___ are very bright.)

2. ¡Mira esa ___ jugando en el agua! (Look at that ___ playing in the water!)

(Answers:  focos – headlights,  foca – seal)

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Next Week’s Sneak Peek:

We’ll explore casa vs. caso—don’t confuse a house with a case!

 Which Spanish words confuse you? Comment below!