Today’s Spanish word of the day is “paz”.
It’s a feminine noun meaning “peace”.
Unlike in English where the word “peace” is usually used without the definite article “the”, in Spanish it is common to use the definite article. When talking about the concept of peace in general, you would refer to it as “la paz” (literally “the peace”) rather than just “paz”. For example, the phrase “he found peace” would be translated as “encontró la paz” (literally “he found the peace”) rather than “encontró paz”. The same is true for other abstract nouns such as “el amor” (“love”) and “la fe” (“faith”), which are also often used with the definite article in Spanish, but without it in English.
The word “paz” comes from Latin pax, which was the name of the Roman goddess of peace. Several English words come from this same root, including the word “peace” itself as well as “pacify” and “pay”.
Example sentences
Después de la discusión, se sentía un ambiente de paz.
After the argument, there was a sense of peace.
La paz entre los hermanos duró poco.
The peace between the siblings didn’t last long.
La paz es lo único que quiero en este momento.
Peace is the only thing I want right now.
Siempre estás tan tranquila, ¿cuál es tu secreto para tener tanta paz?
You’re always so calm, what’s your secret to having so much peace?
Respira hondo y deja que la paz llene tu mente.
Take a deep breath and let peace fill your mind.