adquirir
“adquirir” means “to acquire” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to acquire
Also: to buy, to gain
📝 In Action
Quiero adquirir una nueva casa cerca del mar.
B1I want to acquire (buy) a new house near the sea.
Ella ha adquirido mucha experiencia en este trabajo.
B1She has gained a lot of experience in this job.
Es importante adquirir buenos hábitos desde joven.
B2It is important to acquire (pick up) good habits from a young age.
to take on
Also: to assume
📝 In Action
El conflicto adquirió una dimensión internacional.
C1The conflict took on an international dimension.
Sus mejillas adquirieron un tono rojizo.
C1Her cheeks took on a reddish tone.
La situación adquirió un matiz muy serio.
C2The situation took on a very serious tone.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: adquirir
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the correct 'Yo' form in the present tense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'acquirere', which combines 'ad' (to/towards) and 'quaerere' (to seek or get). It literally means to seek something until you get it.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'adquirir' only for buying things?
No! You can also use it for non-physical things like knowledge, skills, habits, or even taking on a specific tone or look.
Why is the conjugation so strange?
It belongs to a small group of verbs (like 'inquirir') where the 'i' changes to 'ie'. It's rare, but easy once you spot the pattern!
Can I use it interchangeably with 'comprar'?
In most cases yes, but 'adquirir' sounds much more sophisticated. You wouldn't use 'adquirir' for a bag of chips, but you would for a diamond ring or a house.