amanecer
“amanecer” means “to dawn” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to dawnAlso: to wake up (figurative)
📝 In Action
Mañana va a amanecer despejado.
A1Tomorrow it is going to dawn clear (the sky will be clear when the sun rises).
Amanecimos sin electricidad después de la tormenta.
B1We woke up without electricity after the storm. (Here, it means 'we found ourselves' in that situation when day broke.)
Siempre me gusta ver cómo amanece sobre el mar.
A2I always like to see how the sun rises over the sea.
Word Connections
dawn, sunriseAlso: the beginning
📝 In Action
El amanecer en la montaña es espectacular.
A2The dawn/sunrise in the mountains is spectacular.
Trabajamos desde el amanecer hasta el atardecer.
B1We worked from sunrise until sunset.
Este descubrimiento es el amanecer de una nueva era científica.
C1This discovery is the dawn of a new scientific era.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "amanecer" in Spanish:
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: amanecer
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'amanecer' as a noun?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
📚 Etymology
Formed in Latin by combining *ad-* (meaning 'to' or 'toward') and *mane* (meaning 'morning'), plus an ending that signifies 'the beginning of an action.' So, the word literally means 'to begin to be morning.'
First recorded: Medieval Latin
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'amanecer' y 'mañana'?
'Amanecer' refers specifically to the moment the sun rises or the transition from night to day (dawn/daybreak). 'Mañana' is the general period of the day from sunrise until noon.
Why does the 'yo' form change to 'amanezco'?
This is a common pattern for many Spanish verbs that end in -cer. The 'c' changes to 'zc' before an 'o' or 'a' to keep the 'th' or 's' sound consistent throughout the conjugation (this is a spelling rule, not a true irregularity).