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acariciar

ah-kah-ree-syahr/akaɾiˈsjaɾ/

“acariciar” means “to pet” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to pet, to stroke

Also: to caress
VerbA2regular ar
A child's hand gently stroking the soft fur of a fluffy golden retriever dog.
gerundacariciando
past Participleacariciado
infinitiveacariciar

📝 In Action

Me gusta acariciar a mi gato mientras leo.

A1

I like to pet my cat while I read.

La madre acarició la mejilla del bebé.

A2

The mother stroked the baby's cheek.

Él la acariciaba con mucha ternura.

B1

He was caressing her with a lot of tenderness.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • acariciar suavemente – to stroke gently
  • acariciar el pelo – to stroke someone's hair

to cherish, to harbor

Also: to skim
VerbB2regular ar
A person sitting on a grassy hill at night, looking up at a single bright star with a peaceful smile.

📝 In Action

Ella acaricia el sueño de ser una gran pianista.

B2

She cherishes the dream of being a great pianist.

Acarician la idea de mudarse a España algún día.

B2

They are harboring the idea of moving to Spain someday.

La brisa acariciaba la superficie del lago.

C1

The breeze skimmed the surface of the lake.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • acariciar un sueño – to cherish a dream
  • acariciar una idea – to toy with/entertain an idea

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesacariciaran
yoacariciara
túacariciaras
vosotrosacariciarais
nosotrosacariciáramos
él/ella/ustedacariciara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesacaricien
yoacaricie
túacaricies
vosotrosacariciéis
nosotrosacariciemos
él/ella/ustedacaricie

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesacariciaron
yoacaricié
túacariciaste
vosotrosacariciasteis
nosotrosacariciamos
él/ella/ustedacarició

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesacariciaban
yoacariciaba
túacariciabas
vosotrosacariciabais
nosotrosacariciábamos
él/ella/ustedacariciaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesacarician
yoacaricio
túacaricias
vosotrosacariciáis
nosotrosacariciamos
él/ella/ustedacaricia
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "acariciar" in Spanish:

to caress→to cherish→to harbor→to pet→to skim→to stroke→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: acariciar

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence correctly uses the 'personal a' with acariciar?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
caricia(a caress/stroke) — Noun
acariciado(cherished/petted) — Adjective
acariciador(someone who caresses) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Derived from the noun 'caricia' (caress), which comes from the Latin 'carus', meaning 'dear' or 'beloved'.

First recorded: 16th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: accarezzarePortuguese: acariciar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'acariciar' only for people and pets?

No! While most common for pets and loved ones, it can also describe nature (like the wind touching your face) or even harboring an ambition or idea.

What is the difference between 'tocar' and 'acariciar'?

'Tocar' is a neutral word for touching anything. 'Acariciar' implies a gentle, loving, or rhythmic motion.

Is it a romantic word?

It can be, but it is also used perfectly naturally for parents with children or owners with their dogs. It's about affection, not just romance.