No. 14,317 in Spanish
velas
"Velas" means "candles" or "sails" in English, depending on context.
In a sentence
Encendimos las velas para iluminar la habitación durante el apagón.
We lit the candles to illuminate the room during the blackout.
In this sentence, 'velas' refers to candles, objects that produce light when lit. This is the common use of the word in the context of illumination.
Las velas del barco se hincharon con el viento, impulsándolo hacia adelante.
The ship's sails swelled with the wind, propelling it forward.
Here, 'velas' denotes sails of a boat or ship, fabric structures used to catch the wind and provide movement. This is a nautical use distinctly different from the context of candles.
Sopla las velas del pastel para pedir un deseo.
Blow out the candles on the cake to make a wish.
In this context, 'velas' are the candles placed on a birthday cake, representing a traditional aspect of celebratory customs.
Hear it in real podcasts
The recording above is a synthetic voice. Hear how people say “velas” in actual Spanish podcasts.
Find “velas” in podcastsLearn it from shows you like
LangTurbo plays Spanish podcasts with a transcript and the English under every line. Tap a word like this one and it tells you what it means right there.
Get the appSpanish books and courses on Amazon (an affiliate link: a purchase through it supports this site).