Inklingo

decorar

deh-koh-RAHR/dekoˈɾaɾ/

decorar means to decorate in Spanish (rooms, houses, or objects).

to decorate

Also: to garnish, to set the scene
VerbA2regular ar
A child hanging colorful paper bunting and placing a vase of bright flowers on a wooden table in a cozy room.
gerunddecorando
past Participledecorado
infinitivedecorar

📝 In Action

Queremos decorar la sala con globos para la fiesta.

A1

We want to decorate the living room with balloons for the party.

Ella decora pasteles de forma profesional.

A2

She decorates cakes professionally.

Si decoras tu habitación con colores claros, se verá más grande.

B1

If you decorate your room with light colors, it will look bigger.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • adornar (to adorn/ornament)
  • embellecer (to beautify)

Antonyms

  • afear (to make ugly)
  • desordenar (to mess up)

Common Collocations

  • decorar la casato decorate the house
  • decorar un pastelto decorate a cake
  • decorar el árbol de Navidadto decorate the Christmas tree

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdecoraran
yodecorara
decoraras
vosotrosdecorarais
nosotrosdecoráramos
él/ella/usteddecorara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdecoren
yodecore
decores
vosotrosdecoréis
nosotrosdecoremos
él/ella/usteddecore

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesdecoraron
yodecoré
decoraste
vosotrosdecorasteis
nosotrosdecoramos
él/ella/usteddecoró

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdecoraban
yodecoraba
decorabas
vosotrosdecorabais
nosotrosdecorábamos
él/ella/usteddecoraba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdecoran
yodecoro
decoras
vosotrosdecoráis
nosotrosdecoramos
él/ella/usteddecora

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "decorar" in Spanish:

to decorateto garnish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: decorar

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence correctly says 'I decorated the house'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
decoración(decoration)Noun
decorado(stage set / decorated)Noun
decorador(decorator)Noun
decorativo(decorative)Adjective
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

From the Latin word 'decorāre', which means 'to adorn' or 'to honor'. It comes from 'decus', meaning an ornament or something that brings honor.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: decorateFrench: décorerItalian: decorare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'decorar' only for houses?

Not at all! You can decorate a room, a cake, a stage, or even a digital document. It applies to anything you make look better by adding details.

What is the difference between 'decorar' and 'adornar'?

They are very similar. 'Decorar' often implies a more professional or complete style (like interior design), while 'adornar' is often used for simply adding small ornaments.

Is 'decorar' an irregular verb?

No, it's a perfectly regular -ar verb. If you know how to conjugate 'hablar', you know how to conjugate 'decorar'!