describir
/deh-skree-BEER/
to describe
Describing (describir) the details of an object.
describir(Verb)
to describe
?giving an account of something
to portray
?to paint a picture with words
,to detail
?to list specific features
📝 In Action
Ella describió el paisaje con mucha emoción.
A1She described the landscape with a lot of emotion.
¿Puedes describir al ladrón a la policía?
A2Can you describe the thief to the police?
El informe describe los problemas económicos del país.
B1The report details the country's economic problems.
💡 Grammar Points
Regular -IR Pattern
This verb follows the standard conjugation pattern for most verbs ending in -IR (like vivir or abrir). If you know those, you know describir.
❌ Common Pitfalls
The Irregular Past Participle
Mistake: "Hemos describido la casa."
Correction: Hemos descrito la casa. (We have described the house.) 'Descrito' is irregular, even though the rest of the verb is regular. Memorize it!
⭐ Usage Tips
Using Adjectives
When describing things, remember that adjectives usually come AFTER the noun in Spanish: 'un libro interesante' (an interesting book).
Describing oneself (describirse).
describir(Verb (Reflexive))
to describe oneself
?self-description
to be described
?used impersonally or passively
📝 In Action
¿Cómo te describirías en tres palabras?
B1How would you describe yourself in three words?
La situación se describe como insostenible.
B2The situation is described as unsustainable.
💡 Grammar Points
The Reflexive Pronoun 'Se'
When you add 'se' (or 'me', 'te', 'nos', etc.), the subject is doing the describing to itself. 'Yo me describo' means 'I describe myself.'
Impersonal Use
When talking about an object or situation, 'se describe' is like saying 'it is described' or 'people describe it as,' which is a common way to talk about general observations.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
preterite
present
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: describir
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the irregular past participle of 'describir'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'describir' a stem-changing verb?
No, thankfully! 'Describir' is a regular verb in all tenses except for its past participle ('descrito'). Its stem (describ-) never changes vowels, making it easier to conjugate than many other common Spanish verbs.
How is 'describir' related to 'escribir'?
They share the root meaning 'to write.' 'Escribir' means 'to write,' while 'describir' (literally 'to write down thoroughly') means 'to give a written or verbal account of something.'