Inklingo
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borrar

/boh-RRAHR/

erase

A close-up view of a hand holding a pink rectangular eraser rubbing away a light gray pencil line on a white piece of paper, showing the physical act of removal.

Borrar (erase): Physical removal of marks using a rubber or cloth.

borrar(verb)

A1regular ar

erase

?

using a rubber or cloth

,

rub out

?

pencil marks

Also:

wipe off

?

a surface like a board

📝 In Action

Por favor, borra lo que escribiste en la pizarra.

A1

Please, erase what you wrote on the whiteboard.

El lápiz se borra fácilmente, pero la tinta no.

A2

Pencil is erased easily, but ink is not.

Tienes que borrar los errores antes de entregar el examen.

B1

You have to rub out the mistakes before handing in the test.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tachar (to cross out)
  • quitar (to remove)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • borrar con goma – to erase with a rubber/eraser
  • borrar de la lista – to cross off the list

💡 Grammar Points

A Regular Verb

'Borrar' follows the standard pattern for all -AR verbs. Once you know how to conjugate 'hablar' (to speak), you know how to conjugate 'borrar'!

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'borrar' and 'limpiar'

Mistake: "Usar 'borrar' para decir 'limpiar la mesa'."

Correction: 'Borrar' is for removing specific marks (writing, digital files). Use 'limpiar' for general cleaning (dust, spills). 'Voy a limpiar la mesa' (I am going to clean the table).

⭐ Usage Tips

How to ask for an eraser

The tool used to erase is 'el borrador' (the eraser). You can ask: '¿Me prestas el borrador?' (Can you lend me the eraser?)

A simple, colorful illustration of a stylized digital document icon floating down into a large, open wastebasket icon, symbolizing digital deletion.

Borrar (delete): Removing digital files, messages, or data.

borrar(verb)

A2regular ar

delete

?

digital files, messages, data

,

wipe out

?

figurative, memory or trace

Also:

clear

?

history or cache

,

remove

?

a name from a list

📝 In Action

Borra todas las fotos antiguas de tu teléfono para liberar espacio.

A2

Delete all the old photos from your phone to free up space.

Intenté borrar su número de mi memoria, pero fue imposible.

B1

I tried to wipe his number from my memory, but it was impossible.

Si borras la caché, la aplicación debería funcionar mejor.

B2

If you clear the cache, the application should work better.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • eliminar (to eliminate/delete)
  • suprimir (to suppress/delete)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • borrar un mensaje – to delete a message
  • borrar la cuenta – to delete the account

Idioms & Expressions

  • borrar del mapa – to destroy completely; to make something disappear entirely

💡 Grammar Points

Reflexive Use: Borrarse

When used with 'se' (borrarse), it often means 'to disappear' or 'to fade away' by itself: 'La mancha se borró con el tiempo' (The stain faded away over time).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'borrar' for 'forget'

Mistake: "No puedo borrar el nombre."

Correction: While 'borrar' can mean 'wipe out a memory,' for simple forgetting, use 'olvidar': 'No puedo olvidar el nombre' (I can't forget the name).

⭐ Usage Tips

Digital Commands

You will often see 'Borrar' as the button label for 'Delete' in apps and computer programs.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedborra
yoborro
túborras
ellos/ellas/ustedesborran
nosotrosborramos
vosotrosborráis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedborraba
yoborraba
túborrabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesborraban
nosotrosborrábamos
vosotrosborrabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedborró
yoborré
túborraste
ellos/ellas/ustedesborraron
nosotrosborramos
vosotrosborrasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedborre
yoborre
túborres
ellos/ellas/ustedesborren
nosotrosborremos
vosotrosborréis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedborrara
yoborrara
túborraras
ellos/ellas/ustedesborraran
nosotrosborráramos
vosotrosborrarais
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: borrar

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'borrar' in the context of digital technology?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

el borrador(eraser / rough draft) - noun
la borradura(erasure / smudge) - noun
borrable(erasable) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'borrar' a common verb in daily conversation?

Yes, absolutely! It is used constantly, whether you are talking about rubbing out pencil marks or deleting emails and files on your computer or phone.

How do I say 'I need an eraser'?

You would say, 'Necesito un borrador.' Remember that the tool used to perform the action ('borrar') is the noun 'el borrador'.