From how you behave to how fluids flow — explore two deceptively similar Spanish nouns that couldn’t be more different.
Welcome back to our weekly dive into lookalike Spanish nouns with wildly different meanings. Today’s focus? Conducta (feminine) and conducto (masculine) — two words that share a root and spelling similarity, yet chart completely different courses in usage.
Let’s break them down, explore their meanings, and see how they show up in real-life Spanish.
Conducta (Feminine): Behaviour in Focus
At its core, conducta refers to how a person behaves — in general, in a specific situation, or on a particular occasion. It aligns closely with the English words “behaviour” or “conduct”, depending on the tone and context.
Examples:
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Mi conducta tiene un efecto sobre los demás.
(My behaviour affects others.) -
Su conducta me parecía intolerable.
(I thought his behaviour was unacceptable.) -
Es rarísimo que la irritación desemboque en conducta agresiva.
(It’s extremely rare for irritation to lead to aggressive behaviour.) -
Un nuevo código de conducta
(A new code of conduct)
Whether it’s good, bad, or somewhere in between, conducta is always about human actions and choices — the moral, social, or emotional ways in which we respond to the world.
Conducto (Masculine): Channels, Ducts and Pathways
While conducta is about what people do, conducto is about where things go. A conducto is typically a tube, pipe, duct, or passage — something that carries fluids, gases, or even information from one place to another.
1. Pipes and Tubes (Construction & Engineering):
-
El accidente se produjo por la rotura de un conducto de gas.
(The accident was caused by a broken gas pipe.) -
Atacan los conductos que abastecen de agua potable a la capital.
(They’re attacking the pipes supplying drinking water to the capital.)
2. Ventilation Systems:
-
Su presencia es frecuente en los conductos de aire acondicionado.
(It’s often present in air-conditioning ducts.)
3. Protective Tubing or Conduits (Infrastructure):
-
Las instalaciones de agua, gas, teléfono y electricidad se llevaron hasta el barrio a través de conductos elevados.
(The utilities were brought into the neighborhood through overhead conduits.)
4. In the Human Body:
In medical and anatomical contexts, conducto appears as:
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Conducto auditivo – ear canal
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Conductos mamarios – mammary ducts
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Conductos nasales – nasal passages
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Infecciones del conducto urinario – urinary tract infections
5. Abstract or Institutional Channels:
When used figuratively, conducto becomes a channel or route for communication, action, or transport:
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El escrito tenía que ser enviado por conducto oficial.
(The document had to be sent through official channels.) -
Los negativos pasaron a Suiza y luego a Francia por conductos clandestinos.
(The negatives were smuggled to Switzerland and then to France through secret channels.)
Related Verb: Conducir
Both conducta and conducto stem from the verb conducir, meaning “to lead,” “to drive,” or “to conduct.” Let’s take a look at this versatile verb in action:
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Hay que seguir la carretera que conduce a Poblet.
(You need to follow the road that leads to Poblet.) -
Subieron la escalera que conducía a la habitación.
(They climbed the stairs that led to the bedroom.) -
Dicen que conduzco demasiado deprisa.
(They say I drive too fast.) -
Una muchacha rubia los condujo por un largo pasillo.
(A blonde girl led them down a long corridor.)
From leading people to guiding fluids or driving cars — conducir ties together the ideas of movement, direction, and influence, just like its noun forms.
In Summary: What’s the Difference?
| Word | Gender | Meaning | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conducta | Feminine | A person’s behaviour or conduct | Behavior/Conduct |
| Conducto | Masculine | A physical or metaphorical channel, tube, or duct | Pipe / Duct / Passage / Channel |
Final Thought: One Root, Many Routes
While conducta and conducto share the same Latin root, they branch out in dramatically different directions — one towards human psychology, the other into plumbing, anatomy, and infrastructure. Understanding their distinct meanings helps you better navigate both everyday Spanish and the occasional linguistic curveball.
Join us next week as we untangle more deceptively similar Spanish nouns — and lead you down the right conducto to clearer communication!
