Spanish Phrase
El agua está fría.
Meaning
Literally, "The water is cold." The sentence describes a temporary condition of the water, not a permanent characteristic. Note the gender agreement: the article is masculine (el) but the adjective stays feminine (fría) because "agua" is a feminine noun.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to comment on the temperature of drinking water, a swimming pool, a river, or any other body of water. It’s common in restaurants, at the beach, or when someone asks if the water is suitable for a drink or a bath.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Elaguaestáfría
Definite article (el)
Although "agua" is a feminine noun, it takes the masculine article "el" in the singular to avoid the vowel clash "a‑a".
Noun gender (agua)
"Agua" is grammatically feminine, so any adjectives that follow must agree in the feminine form.
Verb "estar"
"Estar" is used for temporary states such as temperature, mood, or location.
Adjective agreement (fría)
The adjective "frío" changes to the feminine form "fría" to match the noun "agua".
🗨In Conversation
¿Te gusta el agua del grifo?
Do you like tap water?
No, el agua está fría.
No, the water is cold.
✕Common Mistakes
El agua es fría.
Use "está" for temporary conditions; "es" would imply a permanent characteristic.
El agua está frio.
The adjective must agree in gender with "agua" (feminine).
La agua está fría.
Even though "agua" is feminine, the singular article is "el" to avoid a vowel clash.
↔Alternatives
El agua está helada.
The water is icy.
El agua está muy fría.
The water is very cold.
El agua está fresca.
The water is cool.
Cultural Tip
In Spanish, many feminine nouns that start with a stressed "a" (like "água", "alma", "águila") take the masculine article "el" in the singular, but the adjectives remain feminine. This avoids the awkward "a‑a" sound. In some regions, people might say "el agua está helada" to emphasize that the water feels almost frozen.