cambiar
“cambiar” means “to change” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to change
Also: to alter, to vary
📝 In Action
El tiempo cambia muy rápido en la montaña.
A1The weather changes very quickly in the mountains.
Las cosas han cambiado mucho desde que éramos niños.
A2Things have changed a lot since we were kids.
Mi hermano cambió de opinión y ahora quiere venir.
B1My brother changed his mind and now he wants to come.
to exchange
Also: to trade, to switch
📝 In Action
¿Dónde puedo cambiar dinero?
A1Where can I exchange money?
Necesito cambiar esta camisa por una talla más grande.
A2I need to exchange this shirt for a larger size.
Cambiamos los muebles de lugar para tener más espacio.
B1We changed the furniture around (switched the places of the furniture) to have more space.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "cambiar" in Spanish:
to alter→to change→to exchange→to switch→to trade→to vary→we moved→will exchange→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: cambiar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'I'm going to change my clothes'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Late Latin word 'cambiāre', which meant 'to exchange' or 'to barter'. It's believed to have come from an even older Celtic word, 'kamb', meaning 'crooked' or 'to bend', which might connect to the idea of turning one thing into another.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'cambiar' and 'cambiarse'?
Great question! Use 'cambiar' when you change an external thing (e.g., 'cambiar el canal' - to change the channel). Use 'cambiarse' when the subject of the verb is also the one being changed. This is most common for changing clothes ('me cambio de ropa') or moving to a new house ('me cambio de casa').
How is 'cambiar' different from 'transformar'?
'Cambiar' is the general, everyday word for 'to change'. 'Transformar' is more dramatic and implies a bigger, more fundamental change, like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. You can use 'cambiar' for small things ('cambiar una bombilla' - change a lightbulb) or big things ('la tecnología cambió el mundo' - technology changed the world), but 'transformar' is usually reserved for those bigger, more profound changes.