desembarcar
“desembarcar” means “to disembark” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to disembark, to land
Also: to get off
📝 In Action
Los pasajeros comenzaron a desembarcar a las ocho de la mañana.
B1The passengers began to disembark at eight in the morning.
No olvides tu pasaporte antes de desembarcar del avión.
A2Don't forget your passport before getting off the plane.
El ejército planeaba desembarcar en la costa al amanecer.
B2The army planned to land on the coast at dawn.
to enter a market
Also: to unload
📝 In Action
La cadena de hoteles planea desembarcar en México el próximo año.
C1The hotel chain plans to enter the Mexican market next year.
Están desembarcando los suministros médicos en el muelle.
B2They are unloading the medical supplies on the dock.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: desembarcar
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the correct 'I' form in the past (Preterite)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the prefix 'des-' (meaning to undo) combined with 'embarcar' (to put in a boat), which comes from 'barca' (small boat).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'desembarcar' for getting out of a car?
No, it's generally reserved for ships, planes, or large-scale military landings. Use 'bajar del coche' for a car.
Is it 'desembarcar de' or 'desembarcar en'?
Both! Use 'de' for where you are coming from (the ship) and 'en' for where you are arriving (the port/country).
Is 'desembarcar' a regular verb?
Mostly! It follows regular -ar patterns, but has a small spelling change (c to qu) in the 'yo' past form and the subjunctive to keep the sound consistent.