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🔹 Deadjectival Nouns Ending in -ura

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The suffix -ura forms quality nouns from adjectives: amargo → amargura, blanco → blancura, dulce → dulzura, fresco → frescura, hermoso → hermosura. The RAE describes it as considerably productive within this class, and notes that it occasionally extends to adverbs (lejos → lejura) and to nouns (diablo → diablura). (RAE, NGLE §6.2ñ)

The central distinction: -ura derivatives on adjectives are quality nouns, while those formed on verbs express action or effect (sepultar → sepultura, pintar → pintura). This table therefore excludes deverbal formations.

Ordered approximately by frequency and usefulness.

#Spanish NounNoun in EnglishBase AdjectiveBase Adjective in EnglishNote
1alturaheight; altitudealtotall; high
2locuramadness; crazy actlococrazy
3hermosurabeautyhermosobeautiful
4dulzurasweetness; gentlenessdulcesweet
5ternuratendernesstiernotenderié ~ e
6frescurafreshness; coolness; cheekfrescofresh; cool
7amargurabitterness (mostly figurative)amargobitter
8anchurawidthanchowide
9blancurawhitenessblancowhite
10llanuraplain; flatnessllanoflat; level
11gordurafatnessgordofat
12finurafineness; refinementfinofine; refined
13espesurathickness; dense woodlandespesothick; dense
14blandurasoftnessblandosoft
15honduradepthhondodeep
16bravurabravery; ferocitybravobrave; fierce
17corduragood sense; sanitycuerdosane; sensibleué ~ o
18travesuramischief; pranktraviesomischievousié ~ e
19negrurablacknessnegroblack
20estrechuranarrownessestrechonarrow
21angosturanarrowness; narrowsangostonarrow
22larguralengthlargolong
23lisurasmoothness; frankness; rudenesslisosmooth
24verduravegetable(s); greennessverdegreen
25holguralooseness; roominess; easeholgadoloose; roomyparticipial
26solturafluency; easesueltolooseparticipial, ué ~ o
27desenvolturaease; self-assurancedesenvueltoself-assuredparticipial
28composturacomposure; repair; neatnesscompuestocomposed; tidyparticipial
29aposturaelegant bearingapuestohandsomeparticipial, ué ~ o
30curvaturacurvaturecurvadocurvedparticipial
31envolturawrapping; casingenvueltowrappedparticipial
32calenturafever; strong desirecalientehotfrontera
33flacurathinnessflacothin
34flojuraslackness; lazinessflojoslack; lazy
35tersurasmoothnesstersosmooth
36grasuragreasinessgrasogreasy
37grosurafattiness; suetgruesothick; stoutué ~ o
38magruraleannessmagrolean
39bajurashallowness; inshore fishingbajolow; shallow
40derechurastraightnessderechostraight
41tiesurastiffnesstiesostifftambién tesura
42asperuraroughnessásperoroughpoco usado
43baraturacheapnessbaratocheap
44ricuradeliciousness; cutenessricorich; delicious
45linduraprettinesslindopretty
46llenurafullnessllenofull
47harturaabundance; satietyhartofull; fed up
48contenturacontentmentcontentocontent
49preciosurabeauty; lovely thingpreciosolovely
50donosuracharm; witdonosowitty; charming
51galanuraelegance; gracefulnessgalanoelegant
52alburawhiteness; sapwoodalbowhite (poetic)
53grisuragreyness; dullnessgrisgrey
54amarillurayellownessamarilloyellow
55bermejurareddishnessbermejoreddish
56rojurarednessrojored
57agrurasourness; heartburnagriosourdel antiguo agro
58sabrosuratastinesssabrosotastyamericano
59chaturaflatness; mediocritychatoflat; snub-nosedChile, Río de la Plata, Andes
60chuecuracrookedness; disloyaltychuecocrookedMéx., C. América, Chile, Andes
61petisurashortness of staturepetisoshortrioplatense, andino
62maluramalaise; unwellnessmalobad; unwellChile, Argentina
63buenamozuragood looks; elegancebuen mozogood-lookingárea caribeña
64sinvergüenzurashamelessnesssinvergüenzashamelessamericano
65feúrauglinessfeouglyclásico; vivo en Andes y Caribe
66caruraexpensivenesscaroexpensiveuso juvenil reciente
67listuraclevernesslistocleverraro; se prefiere listeza
68caluraheatcálidohotantiguo; cf. caluroso
69granduralargenessgrandebigantiguo
70longuralengthluengolongantiguo; hoy longitud
71pesaduraheavinesspesadoheavyantiguo
72mansurameeknessmansomeekantiguo; hoy mansedumbre
73falsurafalsenessfalsofalseantiguo; hoy falsedad
74tristurasadnesstristesadpoco usado; hoy tristeza
75diabluramischief; devilrydiablodevilbase sustantiva
76lejuradistance; faraway placelejosfarbase adverbial; Colombia, Venezuela, Andes
Vowel alternations:

Morphophonological irregularities are few, apart from /e/ ~ /ié/ and /o/ ~ /ué/: tierno → ternura, tieso → tiesura, cuerdo → cordura, grueso → grosura, suelto → soltura, apuesto → apostura. (RAE, NGLE §6.2o)

Contrasting pairs:

The suffix -ura competes with -or, -eza and others:

  • amargura (figurative: affliction) versus amargor (physical taste)
  • dulzura (abstract qualities: la dulzura de su mirada) versus dulzor (physical qualities: el dulzor de la miel). In American Spanish, dulzura covers both.
  • frescura (drifts toward figurative senses: freshness, cheek) versus frescor (physical quality)
  • riqueza versus ricura; flaqueza versus flacura; listeza versus listura
  • flojura, flojera and flojedad alternate
What is not included in this table:
  • Derivatives in -ura formed on verbal bases, which express action or effect rather than quality: sepultura (sepultar), pintura (pintar), hechura (hecho), rotura or ruptura (roto), cochura (cocho), abertura, apretura, fritura, ardura, candidatura, primogenitura. (RAE, NGLE §5.5i-j, §6.2ñ)
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