Inklingo
← Dictionary

acortar

ah-kor-TAHR/akoɾˈtaɾ/

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

to shorten

Also: to take up
VerbA2regular ar
A pair of scissors cutting a long piece of blue ribbon to make it shorter.
gerundacortando
past Participleacortado
infinitiveacortar

📝 In Action

Tengo que acortar estos pantalones porque me quedan muy largos.

A2

I have to shorten these pants because they are too long for me.

El sastre puede acortar las mangas de la chaqueta.

B1

The tailor can shorten the sleeves of the jacket.

Decidieron acortar el camino yendo por el bosque.

B1

They decided to shorten the way by going through the forest.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • achicar (to make smaller)
  • reducir (to reduce)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • acortar distancias – to close the gap / reduce distance
  • acortar el camino – to take a shortcut

to shorten

Also: to cut down
VerbB1regular ar
A person taking a shortcut path through a green field to reach a house faster.
gerundacortando
past Participleacortado
infinitiveacortar

📝 In Action

Tuvimos que acortar la reunión porque el jefe tenía prisa.

B1

We had to shorten the meeting because the boss was in a hurry.

Debes acortar el artículo para que quepa en la página.

B2

You must shorten the article so that it fits on the page.

Los días se acortan durante el invierno.

A2

The days get shorter during the winter.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • abreviar (to abbreviate/shorten)
  • limitar (to limit)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • acortar las vacaciones – to shorten the vacation
  • acortar el plazo – to shorten the deadline/period

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesacortaran
yoacortara
túacortaras
vosotrosacortarais
nosotrosacortáramos
él/ella/ustedacortara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesacorten
yoacorte
túacortes
vosotrosacortéis
nosotrosacortemos
él/ella/ustedacorte

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesacortaron
yoacorté
túacortaste
vosotrosacortasteis
nosotrosacortamos
él/ella/ustedacortó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesacortaban
yoacortaba
túacortabas
vosotrosacortabais
nosotrosacortábamos
él/ella/ustedacortaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesacortan
yoacorto
túacortas
vosotrosacortáis
nosotrosacortamos
él/ella/ustedacorta
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: acortar

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence means 'I have to shorten the duration of the visit'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
corto(short) — Adjective
acortamiento(shortening) — Noun
cortar(to cut) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Derived from the Latin 'curtare' (to shorten), combined with the Spanish prefix 'a-', coming from 'curtus' (short).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: curtailFrench: écourter

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'acortar' for cutting hair?

Not usually. For hair, we use 'cortar' (to cut). Use 'acortar' for things like clothes, time, or distances.

What is the difference between 'acortar' and 'achicar'?

'Acortar' specifically means making something shorter in length or time. 'Achicar' means making something smaller in overall size or volume (like a photo or a box).

How do you say 'to take a shortcut'?

The most common phrase is 'acortar camino'.