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anticipar

an-tee-see-PAR/antiθiˈpaɾ/

“anticipar” means “to move forward” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to move forward, to pay in advance

Also: to bring forward
VerbB1regular ar
A hand moving a small red marker forward on a simple, colorful track.
gerundanticipando
past Participleanticipado
infinitiveanticipar

📝 In Action

Tuvimos que anticipar la reunión porque el jefe tiene un viaje.

B1

We had to move the meeting forward because the boss has a trip.

La empresa va a anticipar el pago de la nómina este mes.

B1

The company is going to pay the salaries in advance this month.

Si anticipas tu compra, puedes obtener un descuento.

A2

If you buy in advance, you can get a discount.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • anticipar el pago – to pay in advance
  • anticipar la fecha – to move the date forward

to foresee, to anticipate

Also: to preview
VerbB2regular ar
A person looking through a telescope at a bright star that is just beginning to appear over the horizon.
gerundanticipando
past Participleanticipado
infinitiveanticipar

📝 In Action

Nadie pudo anticipar la crisis económica.

B2

Nobody could have foreseen the economic crisis.

El autor anticipa el final en el primer capítulo.

C1

The author foreshadows/previews the ending in the first chapter.

Es bueno anticipar las necesidades de los clientes.

B2

It is good to anticipate the customers' needs.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • prever (to foresee)
  • pronosticar (to forecast)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • anticipar problemas – to anticipate problems
  • anticipar un cambio – to foresee a change

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesanticiparan
yoanticipara
túanticiparas
vosotrosanticiparais
nosotrosanticipáramos
él/ella/ustedanticipara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesanticipen
yoanticipe
túanticipes
vosotrosanticipéis
nosotrosanticipemos
él/ella/ustedanticipe

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesanticiparon
yoanticipé
túanticipaste
vosotrosanticipasteis
nosotrosanticipamos
él/ella/ustedanticipó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesanticipaban
yoanticipaba
túanticipabas
vosotrosanticipabais
nosotrosanticipábamos
él/ella/ustedanticipaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesanticipan
yoanticipo
túanticipas
vosotrosanticipáis
nosotrosanticipamos
él/ella/ustedanticipa
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "anticipar" in Spanish:

to preview→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: anticipar

Question 1 of 3

If a meeting was for Friday but you want it on Wednesday, you need to...

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
el anticipo(advance payment) — Noun
la anticipación(anticipation) — Noun
anticipado(advance / early) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'anticipare', which combines 'ante' (before) and 'capere' (to take). Essentially, it means 'to take something before it happens'.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: anticipateItalian: anticipare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'anticipar' the same as 'adelantar'?

Yes, they are very similar. 'Adelantar' is more common in daily speech for moving forward, while 'anticipar' sounds a bit more formal or technical.

Can 'anticipar' mean 'to look forward to'?

Not exactly. In English, we 'anticipate' a vacation with excitement. In Spanish, you would use 'tener ganas de' or 'esperar con ilusión' for that feeling.

Is it a regular verb?

Yes! It follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar.