Discover Spanish With Us » Verbs

Jactarse

David — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:50:18 +0000

Jactarse is to boast or brag. Note that it is reflexive. Therefore it is used like this: “he brags about himself.” Or, “he is a show-off.”

While it is similar to being proud (orgulloso), jactarse has a negative connotation where you can be proud in a negative or positive way.

Jactarse is a verb where orgulloso is an adjective.

Acudir

David — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:22:15 +0000

Acudir is a word that I heard in a song. Trying to figure out the meaning of the word through the song did not prove helpful. After looking up acudir on the web, I understand why. Acudir has many meanings based on the words around it. Most of its usage is idomatic in nature; it is a very flexible word depending on how it is used.

Acudir can mean to go, or to come. To help, or to turn to someone for help. To arrive or to return. Now you can see why I was confused.

Leaning heavily on what I learned at WordReference.com (one of my favorite references and highly recommended) here are a few explanations.

When talking about appointments or places, acudir can mean to go to, to come, to arrive or to return. Acudió a la cita: he arrived at the appoinment. Or, he came to the appointment. Or, he went to the appointment. Los recuerdos acuden a mi mente: the memories returned to my mind.

When talking about helping or receiving help it can be used in the following ways. Acudió a su hermano: he turned to his brother (with the idea of ‘for help’). ?Ella está dispuesto de acudir ayuda a cualquier persona: she is willing to give help to anyone.

Fanfarrón

David — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 11:20:38 +0000

A show-off is a fanfarrón. This is a boastful person, or a braggart. It can also be used to describe a loud mouthed or arrogant person.

The feminine form is fanfarrona (without the accent).

The verb form of the word is fanfarronear and means to boast, brag or show off.

Guiñar

David — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:05:47 +0000

Guiñar is the verb to wink. The noun wink is guiño or guiñada.

Enterarse

David — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 01:36:00 +0000

To learn about something, or to find out about an event is to enterarse de said event. In English we often say that we heard about something when we might have actually read it. The word enterarse is to learn that information in some way; either through a verbal story, news broadcast or reading it in the paper.

Enterarse is reflexive.

Estafar

David — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:38:42 +0000

Resulta que un día un hombre decide ir a comprar una estufa. Llega al comercio y le pregunta al encargado:

“Disculpe, ¿cuánto cuesta esa estufa?”

“Esa estufa cuesta 1500 dólares.”

“¡1500 dólares!, pero, eso es una estafa!”

“No, no, es una estufa.”

It happened that one day a man decided to buy a new stove. Arriving at the store he asked the salesman:

“Excuse me. How much does that stove cost?”

“That stove costs $1500 dollars.”

“$1500 dollars! But that’s an estafa!”

“No. No. That’s a stove.”

Estafar is a verb that means to swindle or to defraud.

Thanks to www.buenos-chistes.com for the wording on the joke.

Brotar

David — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:39:51 +0000

Brotar is to blossom, bloom, flourish, break forth. The idea is that of a flower maturing.

Where I heard the word was in a song which was talking about the life God gives “brote en mi corazon.” Just like the words flourish, bloom, blossom, etc. can be used figuratively in English, brotar can be used figuratively as well.

Estibar

David — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:38:35 +0000

Estibar is to load or stow. This would be like loading something for shipping.

We bought some boxes the other day that say, “Estiba maxima 4 cajas” which I assume to mean, “Don’t stack more than 4 high.”

Aparejar

David — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:17:24 +0000

Aparejar is a verb that means to saddle (as in a horse), or to rig up, or prepare something for use. I don’t know if it is a common word or not. I read it in literature and am not sure that I have ever seen it used otherwise.

Prestar

David — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 03:03:10 +0000

Prestar is not an uncommon word. We most often see it used when talking about lending something to someone. Along the lines of lending is the idea of rendering service.

The reflexive form of the verb, prestarse, has some other interesting meanings. It can mean “to be open to” as in the phrase: Dar ocasiÃ³n de prestarse a crÃticas. It can also mean to be suitable for a job or ready to perform a task.