calmar
“calmar” means “to calm” in Spanish (General meaning - making someone or something more peaceful).
to calm, to soothe, to quiet
Also: to pacify, to settle
📝 In Action
La madre calma al bebé.
A1The mother calms the baby.
Necesito calmar mis nervios antes del examen.
A2I need to calm my nerves before the exam.
El viento se calmó por la noche.
A2The wind settled down at night.
Este té te va a calmar el estómago.
B1This tea will soothe your stomach.
¡Calma! Todo va a estar bien.
A1Calm down! Everything will be fine.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: calmar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly means 'I need to calm down'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'calmare' meaning 'to make calm,' which came from 'calmus' meaning 'calm' or 'tranquil.' The word entered Spanish during the medieval period and has kept its core meaning of bringing peace or quiet to a situation.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'calmar' and 'tranquilizar'?
Both mean 'to calm,' but 'tranquilizar' is slightly stronger and often implies making someone completely peaceful or relaxed. 'Calmar' is more general and can be used for anything from a crying baby to rough weather. In everyday conversation, they're often interchangeable!
Is 'calmar' regular or irregular?
'Calmar' is a completely regular -ar verb! All its forms follow the normal pattern: hablo, comí, viví. So you can conjugate it just like 'hablar' or 'cantar.' No surprises here!
When do I use 'calmarse' instead of 'calmar'?
Use 'calmarse' when the subject is doing the calming action on themselves: 'Me calmé' (I calmed down), 'Ella se calmó' (She calmed down). Use 'calmar' when someone calms something else: 'Calmé al bebé' (I calmed the baby), 'El tiempo calmó la situación' (The weather calmed the situation).
Can 'calmar' be used for physical pain?
Yes! You can say 'Este medicamento calma el dolor' (This medicine eases the pain) or 'Me calmó el dolor de cabeza' (It relieved my headache). It's very common in medical and health contexts.