afirmar
“afirmar” means “to affirm” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to affirm, to state, to confirm
Also: to assert, to maintain
📝 In Action
Afirmó que había estado allí.
A2He affirmed that he had been there.
El testigo afirmó la verdad de su declaración.
B1The witness confirmed the truth of his statement.
—¿Estás seguro? —Afirmativo, estoy seguro.
A2—Are you sure? —Yes, I'm sure.
Los científicos afirman que el cambio climático es real.
B1Scientists affirm that climate change is real.
to secure, to fix, to steady
Also: to strengthen
📝 In Action
Debes afirmar la estantería a la pared.
B1You must secure the bookshelf to the wall.
Afirmó el poste con concreto.
B2He secured the post with concrete.
El piloto afirmó el timón durante la tormenta.
B2The pilot steadied the rudder during the storm.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "afirmar" in Spanish:
states→to affirm→to assert→to confirm→to fix→to maintain→to secure→to state→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: afirmar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses 'afirmar' to mean 'to state something as true'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'affirmare', which combines 'ad-' (to/toward) and 'firmare' (to make firm). The original Latin meant literally 'to make strong' or 'to strengthen'.
First recorded: 12th century (approximate)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'afirmar' and 'confirmar'?
Both can mean 'to confirm' or 'to state as true,' and they're often interchangeable. However, 'confirmar' is slightly more common in everyday speech when you're verifying something (like confirming an appointment), while 'afirmar' sounds a bit more formal and is often used when stating facts or beliefs strongly.
Can I use 'afirmar' to mean 'yes'?
Yes! In informal conversation, you can say '¡Afirmativo!' or simply 'Afirm' to mean 'yes.' It's a fun, slightly old-fashioned but still cool way to agree with someone.
Is 'afirmar' regular or irregular?
Afirmar is completely regular! It follows the standard pattern for -ar verbs. You just remove the '-ar' ending and add the appropriate new ending for each tense. No spelling changes or irregular forms to worry about.
What's the difference between 'afirmar' and 'asegurar'?
Both can mean 'to state firmly,' but 'asegurar' has an additional meaning of 'to secure' or 'to make safe.' When you want to talk about physically attaching something (like a shelf to a wall), use 'asegurar' or 'fijar' instead of 'afirmar.'