La bacteria láctica participa en la fermentación natural.

The lactic-acid bacterium participates in the natural fermentation.

Breakdown of La bacteria láctica participa en la fermentación natural.

• en: in
• participar: to participate
• la bacteria láctica: the lactic-acid bacterium
• la fermentación natural: the natural fermentation

Questions & Answers about La bacteria láctica participa en la fermentación natural.

Why is it La bacteria instead of just bacteria?

In Spanish, it is very common to use the definite article when speaking about something in a general or class-like way. So La bacteria láctica can mean lactic bacteria as a kind of organism or the lactic bacterium depending on context.

English often leaves the article out in general statements, but Spanish usually does not.

Is bacteria singular or plural in Spanish?

In Spanish, bacteria is singular. Its plural is bacterias.

So:

• la bacteria = singular
• las bacterias = plural

This can feel surprising to English speakers because in formal English bacterium is singular and bacteria is plural, but Spanish does not work that way.

Why is it láctica and not láctico?

Because adjectives in Spanish usually agree with the noun they describe.

Here:

• bacteria is feminine singular
• so the adjective must also be feminine singular
• láctico becomes láctica

You can compare:

• el ácido láctico
• la bacteria láctica
• las bacterias lácticas

What exactly does láctica mean here?