adornar
“adornar” means “to decorate” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to decorate
Also: to garnish, to deck out
📝 In Action
Queremos adornar la casa para la fiesta de mañana.
A1We want to decorate the house for tomorrow's party.
Ella adorna su cabello con flores de colores.
A2She decorates her hair with colorful flowers.
El cocinero adornó el postre con hojas de menta.
B1The chef garnished the dessert with mint leaves.
to embellish
Also: to ornament
📝 In Action
No hace falta adornar la verdad para que sea interesante.
B1There's no need to embellish the truth for it to be interesting.
Él siempre adorna sus historias con detalles fantásticos.
B2He always embellishes his stories with fantastic details.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: adornar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence means 'I decorate the room'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'adornare', which means to prepare, provide, or equip with what is necessary, eventually evolving to mean adding beauty.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'adornar' and 'decorar'?
'Decorar' is more general and often used for interior design or painting. 'Adornar' specifically refers to adding ornaments, decorations, or accessories to something.
Is 'adornar' a regular verb?
Yes! It follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar.
Can I use 'adornar' for food?
Yes, it is often used when a chef adds a garnish or decoration to a plate to make it look professional.