dedicar
“dedicar” means “to dedicate” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to dedicate, to spend
Also: to devote
📝 In Action
Dedico dos horas al día a estudiar español.
A1I dedicate two hours a day to studying Spanish.
Tienes que dedicar más tiempo a tus amigos.
A2You need to spend more time with your friends.
El gobierno decidió dedicar más dinero a la salud pública.
B1The government decided to devote more money to public health.
to do for a living, to work as
📝 In Action
¿A qué te dedicas?
A1What do you do for a living?
Mi hermana se dedica a la enseñanza.
A2My sister works in teaching.
Se dedica a ayudar a los animales abandonados.
B1He/She is devoted to helping abandoned animals.
to dedicate (a book/song)
📝 In Action
El autor dedicó su libro a sus padres.
B1The author dedicated his book to his parents.
Quiero dedicarle esta canción a mi novia.
B1I want to dedicate this song to my girlfriend.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: dedicar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I dedicated' (past tense) in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'dedicare', which meant to proclaim, set apart, or formally hand over something to a higher purpose.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'pasar tiempo' and 'dedicar tiempo'?
'Pasar tiempo' is simply 'to spend time' (like hanging out), whereas 'dedicar tiempo' implies you are focused on a specific goal or person intentionally.
Is 'dedicar' a regular verb?
Almost! It follows regular -ar patterns except for a small spelling change (c to qu) in the 'yo' past tense and all present subjunctive forms to preserve the 'k' sound.
Can I use 'dedicar' to mean 'to sign a book'?
Yes! When an author signs a book for someone with a personal message, that message is called a 'dedicatoria' and the act is 'dedicar el libro'.