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congelar

kohn-heh-LAHRkoŋxeˈlaɾ

to freeze

Also: to deep-freeze
VerbA2regular ar
An ice cube tray filled with clear ice cubes on a solid blue background.
gerundcongelando
past Participlecongelado
infinitivecongelar

📝 In Action

El agua se congela a cero grados.

A2

Water freezes at zero degrees.

Debes congelar la carne para que no se arruine.

B1

You should freeze the meat so it doesn't spoil.

Ayer se congelaron las tuberías por el frío intenso.

B2

The pipes froze yesterday because of the intense cold.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • helar (to freeze/chill)

Antonyms

  • descongelar (to thaw/defrost)
  • derretir (to melt)

Common Collocations

  • punto de congelación – freezing point
  • alimentos congelados – frozen foods

Idioms & Expressions

  • quedarse congelado – to be very cold or to be shocked into stillness

to freeze

Also: to suspend
VerbB2regular ar
A small bird frozen mid-air in a static pose, surrounded by a soft glow.
gerundcongelando
past Participlecongelado
infinitivecongelar

📝 In Action

El banco decidió congelar sus cuentas bancarias.

B2

The bank decided to freeze his bank accounts.

El gobierno va a congelar los precios este mes.

C1

The government is going to freeze prices this month.

Congela la imagen para ver el detalle.

B1

Freeze the image to see the detail.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • congelar salarios – to freeze wages
  • congelar una cuenta – to freeze an account

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yocongelara
túcongelaras
él/ella/ustedcongelara
nosotroscongeláramos
vosotroscongelarais
ellos/ellas/ustedescongelaran

Present Subjunctive

yocongele
túcongeles
él/ella/ustedcongele
nosotroscongelemos
vosotroscongeléis
ellos/ellas/ustedescongelen

Indicative

Preterite

yocongelé
túcongelaste
él/ella/ustedcongeló
nosotroscongelamos
vosotroscongelasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedescongelaron

Imperfect

yocongelaba
túcongelabas
él/ella/ustedcongelaba
nosotroscongelábamos
vosotroscongelabais
ellos/ellas/ustedescongelaban

Present

yocongelo
túcongelas
él/ella/ustedcongela
nosotroscongelamos
vosotroscongeláis
ellos/ellas/ustedescongelan
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "congelar" in Spanish:

to deep-freeze→to freeze→to suspend→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: congelar

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'to freeze the chicken'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
congelador(freezer) — Noun
congelado(frozen) — Adjective
congelación(freezing/frostbite) — Noun
descongelar(to defrost) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'congelare', which combines 'con-' (together) and 'gelare' (to freeze or turn to ice).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: congealFrench: congeler

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'congelar' a regular verb?

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

What's the difference between 'congelar' and 'helar'?

'Congelar' is usually the action of turning something to ice or putting it in a freezer. 'Helar' is more about the extreme cold of the weather or something being icy cold.

Can I use 'congelar' for a computer screen?

Yes, if your computer stops moving, you can say 'se congeló la pantalla'.