Understanding Verbs
A comprehensive guide to verbs in English. This section covers the basics and complexities of this essential language component.
probar
prove
The Spanish word 'probar' translates to 'prove' in English. It is generally used in the context of demonstrating the truth or existence of something through evidence or argument. Similar to its use in English, the word 'probar' can also mean trying or testing something in Spanish.
Example sentences with probar →proceso
process
The word 'proceso' in Spanish is used similarly to how 'process' is used in English. It can refer to a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. It can be applied in various contexts such as scientific, legal, manufacturing, and so on. For example, 'el proceso de cocción' means 'the cooking process.'
Example sentences with proceso →producir
produce
The Spanish word 'producir' translates to 'produce' in English. It is generally used in the context of producing goods, crops or results. Like in English, 'producir' can mean both to create something as an output from a process or to cause a particular result or effect.
Example sentences with producir →proporcionar
provide
The Spanish term 'proporcionar', which translates to 'provide' in English, is often used in the same contexts as its English counterpart. For example, it can refer to supplying or furnishing someone with something, usually in response to a request or need. Like 'provide', 'proporcionar' is a versatile verb that can be applied in various contexts, from providing a service to providing information.
Example sentences with proporcionar →propósito
purpose
The Spanish word 'propósito' is used to describe an intention or a goal you plan to achieve. It corresponds directly to the English word 'purpose'. It could be used in various contexts, such as expressing personal ambitions or objectives in a business strategy.
Example sentences with propósito →proyecto
project
In Spanish, 'project' translates to 'proyecto'. The word 'proyecto' is used in the same context as 'project' in English. It can be in reference to general projects in a school or work context. The plural form is 'proyectos'. It is also common to use the verb 'proyectar' when referring to planning or forecasting a project.
Example sentences with proyecto →prueba
test
The term 'prueba' is used in numerous contexts in Spanish. Just like in English, it can refer to a test or exam at school, a trial period for a job, or a test run or experiment of something. It is also commonly used in phrases to infer checking or trying something out, similar to how we use 'test' in English.
Example sentences with prueba →quedarse
stay
The Spanish word 'quedarse' is most commonly used to mean 'stay'. It is often used when instructing or asking someone to remain in a particular place, such as 'quedarse en casa' - 'stay at home'. It also can denote a sense of permanence or ongoing action in certain contexts. Like most verbs, it can be conjugated according to present, past, future tense, and so on.
Example sentences with quedarse →quedarse agachado
stay crouched
The Spanish phrase 'quedarse agachado' translates to 'stay crouched' in English. It is a verb phrase typically used to instruct someone to remain in a low position close to the ground, often for reasons related to safety or stealth. The tone or context of usage may vary based on the situation.
quedarse de espaldas
stay behind
The phrase 'quedarse de espaldas' in Spanish refers to the action of staying behind or being left behind in a situation. It is usually used when someone or something remains in the same place while others move forward. This phrase might be used in various contexts and can express emotional, physical or metaphorical states of being left behind.
quedarse dormido
falling asleep
The Spanish term 'quedarse dormido' translates to 'falling asleep' in English. This phrase is often used to describe the action of gradually drifting into a sleep state. For instance, after a long day of work or study, someone might 'quedarse dormido' while sitting on their couch or desk. One common mistake language learners make is confusing this with going to bed, which is expressed differently in Spanish. While both refer to sleep, 'quedarse dormido' typically carries the connotation of unintentionally falling asleep.
quemarse la comida
burn the food
The Spanish phrase 'quemarse la comida' translates to 'burn the food' in English. It is generally used to describe a scenario when cooking goes wrong and the food gets overcooked to a point of being charred or burnt. Often, it indicates a cooking error or mishap.
quicio
trade
The term 'quicio' does not translate to 'trade' in English. It is a Spanish word that translates to 'doorjamb' or 'hinge' in English, and it typically refers to the part of a door frame where the door is hung. The phrase 'estar en el quicio de la puerta' means to be at the threshold or on the brink of something.
quiero
want
The Spanish word 'quiero' translates as 'want' in English. It's used predominantly to express a desire, need or intention to do something. 'Quiero' is the first person singular form of 'querer', which means 'to want' or 'to love'. Like English, it could be used in various contexts such as 'yo quiero un café' which means 'I want a coffee', or 'yo quiero ir a la playa' translating to 'I want to go to the beach'.
Example sentences with quiero →rápido
fast
In Spanish, 'rápido' represents the concept of quick or fast. It could be used in different contexts e.g., running quickly, fast car, etc.
Example sentences with rápido →razón
reason
The Spanish word 'razón' is used similarly to the English word 'reason', meaning the explanation or justification for an action or event. It can be used in a variety of contexts and can be found in many Spanish sentences, especially in discussions related to logic or reasoning. Keep in mind that like many other words, 'razón' might have different connotations based on the specific context.
Example sentences with razón →recibir
receive
The word 'recibir' is a Spanish verb meaning 'to receive' in English. It is used in many same contexts as English, such as receiving a gift (recibir un regalo), receiving news (recibir noticias), or receiving a visitor (recibir una visita). The verb 'recibir' is regular, so it respects the regular conjugation pattern in all the tenses.
Example sentences with recibir →reclamo
claim
The word 'claim' in Spanish can be translated as 'reclamo'. It is often used in the context of making a complaint or forwarding a request. Like in English, it can be used both in a legal sense, such as the claim of property, or in casual instances, such as claiming a seat.
Example sentences with reclamo →recoger la cocina
clean up the kitchen
The Spanish phrase 'recoger la cocina' translates to 'clean up the kitchen' in English. This is a command or directive, used to instruct someone to tidy up the kitchen area. This might involve activities such as washing the dishes, wiping the counter, or putting things back in their right place. It's a common phrase used in households to maintain cleanliness and order in the kitchen.
recoger la mesa
clean up the table
The Spanish phrase 'recoger la mesa' translates directly to 'pick up the table' in English. However, its idiomatic meaning refers to clearing or cleaning up the table. It is often used in contexts such as after having a meal when someone is expected to clear any dishes, food, or utensils left on the table to make it neat and tidy again.
reconocer
recognize
The Spanish word 'reconocer' translates to 'recognize' in English. It's typically used in the context of identifying someone or something from having encountered them before. It can also imply the acknowledgement of the existence, validity, or legality of something. Just like in English, 'reconocer' is used in various contexts and can change based on the situation.
Example sentences with reconocer →recordar
remember
The word 'recordar' is a commonly used verb in Spanish, equivalent to 'remember' in English. It is used in the context of keeping something in mind or retaining a particular piece of information. For example, 'No puedo recordar su nombre' means 'I can't remember his name'. It also carries an emotional meaning, depending on the context, as it is frequently used to express the act of recalling or reliving a moment or experience.
Example sentences with recordar →red
network
The Spanish word 'red' translates to 'network' in English. It is usually used in the context of social networking (red social), network of contacts (red de contactos), or a computer network (red de ordenadores). However, just like in English, 'red' is a versatile word in Spanish and its meaning can change depending on the context. Do note, 'red' also means 'net' or could refer to color- red.
Example sentences with red →reducir
reduce
The term 'reducir' in Spanish is used to refer to the act of making something smaller or less in size, amount or degree, similar to how the word 'reduce' is used in English. It is typically used in contexts such as cooking, mathematics, and discussions about savings or decrease.
Example sentences with reducir →reflexionar
reflect
The Spanish verb 'reflexionar' translates as 'reflect' in English. It may primarily be used to denote thinking about something carefully and at length. Alternatively, in a more scientific or logical context, it might also be used to refer to the instance where light, heat, or sound is thrown back without absorbing it. Nonetheless, 'reflexionar' is more commonly used in the sense of pondering over something in the Spanish language.
Example sentences with reflexionar →regresar
return
The word 'regresar' in Spanish means 'to return' in English. It is a commonly used verb in Spanish to indicate the action of going back to a previous place or state. For instance, one could use 'regresar' when talking about coming back from a trip or returning an item to a store.
Example sentences with regresar →reír
laugh
The Spanish word 'reír' is the equivalent of 'laugh' in English. It is used the same way it is in English: to express amusement, joy, or even sarcasm. It can be used in various forms depending on the context and the subject of the sentence, for instance, 'Yo río'(I laugh), 'Tú ríes'(You laugh), 'Él ríe'(He laughs), etc.
Example sentences with reír →relinchar
to neigh
Relinchar is a Spanish verb that describes the sound a horse makes. Just as in English we say that a horse 'neighs', in Spanish we would say 'el caballo relincha'. Like many verbs, it can be conjugated based on grammatical tense, person, and mood.
Example sentences with relinchar →reloj
watch
A small timepiece intended to be carried or worn by a person, typically a wristwatch.
Example sentences with reloj →renta
rent
The Spanish term 'renta' translates to 'rent' in English and is used in the context of payments made periodically by a tenant to an owner for the use or occupancy of property, commonly a rented house or apartment.
Example sentences with renta →