Spanish Vocabulary - Ala (Wing)

 Ala

Gender: Feminine noun.

Translation: Wing

Pronunciation: click here - Ala -

Ala is feminine word, although this word must be preceded by a masculine article (el, un) in the singular. That's because saying "la ala" or "una ala" produces cacophony.

On the other hand, we can use feminine adjectives or demonstratives with "ala", as in "esa ala" ("that wing") or "bonita ala" ("nice wing").

According to the "Real Academia de la Lengua": 'ala" is:

• "Cada uno de los órganos o apéndices pares que utilizan algunos animales para volar." That is: "Each pair of organs or appendix some animals use to fly".

• "Cada una de las partes que a ambos lados del avión presentan al aire una superficie plana y sirven para sustentar el aparato en vuelo.". ("Every part that, at both sides of the plane present to the air a plain surface and are used to keep the plane in flight")

Wordreference.com gives us other uses for this word:

• ala de un edificio = wing of a building.
• ala as 'flanco" (flanck, side)
• ala de sombrero = brim
• talking about sport, ala = winger
• and also: ala delta = hang glider

• Picture 'Wing Airbus A320' by Biso
• Picture "Wing", by marcosbseguren