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besa

BEH-sahˈbesa

“besa” means “kisses” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

kisses, kiss

Also: you kiss
VerbA1regular ar
Argentina/Uruguay
A simple storybook illustration of a mother kissing her child's forehead.
gerundbesando
past Participlebesado
infinitivebesar

📝 In Action

Él siempre besa a su madre antes de salir.

A1

He always kisses his mother before leaving.

¡Besa a tu tía!

A1

Kiss your aunt!

Usted me besa y me olvido de todo.

A2

You kiss me and I forget everything.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • dar un beso (to give a kiss)
  • acariciar (to caress)

Common Collocations

  • besa la mano – kisses the hand
  • besa con cariño – kisses with affection

Idioms & Expressions

  • besa el suelo – to fall down face-first

grazes, brushes against

VerbB2regular arformal
A simple storybook illustration of a butterfly's wing lightly touching a flower petal.

📝 In Action

La brisa besa el mar suavemente.

B2

The breeze kisses the sea softly.

El vestido apenas besa el suelo.

B2

The dress barely brushes the floor.

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yobesara
túbesaras
él/ella/ustedbesara
nosotrosbesáramos
vosotrosbesarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesbesaran

Present Subjunctive

yobese
túbeses
él/ella/ustedbese
nosotrosbesemos
vosotrosbeséis
ellos/ellas/ustedesbesen

Indicative

Preterite

yobesé
túbesaste
él/ella/ustedbesó
nosotrosbesamos
vosotrosbesasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesbesaron

Imperfect

yobesaba
túbesabas
él/ella/ustedbesaba
nosotrosbesábamos
vosotrosbesabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesbesaban

Present

yobeso
túbesas
él/ella/ustedbesa
nosotrosbesamos
vosotrosbesáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesbesan
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "besa" in Spanish:

brushes against→grazes→kisses→you kiss→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: besa

Question 1 of 2

If you say 'Él besa a su gato,' what are you doing?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
beso(a kiss) — Noun
besucón(someone who kisses a lot) — Adjective
besuquear(to kiss repeatedly) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'bassiare', a word that early Romans used specifically for the act of kissing.

First recorded: 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: baiserItalian: baciare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'besa' used for romantic kisses only?

No. In Spanish-speaking cultures, 'besa' is used for family affection, greetings on the cheek, and poetic descriptions of nature.

What is the difference between 'beso' and 'besa'?

'Beso' is the noun (a kiss), while 'besa' is the action (he/she kisses).