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dibujar

dee-boo-HAR/diβuˈxaɾ/

“dibujar” means “to draw” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to draw

Also: to sketch
VerbA1regular ar
A hand holding a pencil and sketching a simple cat on a piece of paper.
gerunddibujando
past Participledibujado
infinitivedibujar

📝 In Action

Me gusta dibujar paisajes con lápiz.

A1

I like to draw landscapes with a pencil.

Ella dibuja un retrato de su hermano.

A1

She is drawing a portrait of her brother.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • trazar (to trace/outline)
  • ilustrar (to illustrate)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • dibujar a mano – to draw by hand
  • dibujar un boceto – to draw a sketch

to outline or depict

Also: to take shape
VerbB2regular ar
A clear, colorful illustration of a person's finger tracing the sharp, colorful outlines of flower beds in a garden plan.
gerunddibujando
past Participledibujado
infinitivedibujar

📝 In Action

El informe dibuja una situación económica difícil.

B2

The report outlines a difficult economic situation.

Una sonrisa se dibujó en su rostro.

B1

A smile appeared on her face.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • describir (to describe)
  • delinear (to delineate)

Common Collocations

  • dibujar un plan – to outline a plan

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdibujaran
yodibujara
túdibujaras
vosotrosdibujarais
nosotrosdibujáramos
él/ella/usteddibujara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdibujen
yodibuje
túdibujes
vosotrosdibujéis
nosotrosdibujemos
él/ella/usteddibuje

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesdibujaron
yodibujé
túdibujaste
vosotrosdibujasteis
nosotrosdibujamos
él/ella/usteddibujó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdibujaban
yodibujaba
túdibujabas
vosotrosdibujabais
nosotrosdibujábamos
él/ella/usteddibujaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdibujan
yodibujo
túdibujas
vosotrosdibujáis
nosotrosdibujamos
él/ella/usteddibuja
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "dibujar" in Spanish:

to draw→to sketch→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: dibujar

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'dibujar' to mean 'to sketch'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
dibujo(drawing/sketch) — Noun
dibujante(illustrator/artist) — Noun
desdibujar(to blur/fade) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Old Spanish word 'dibujo', which evolved from a mix of Latin roots meaning 'to mark out' or 'to point'. It is related to the idea of leaving a mark or sign on a surface.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: déboiser

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'dibujar' a regular verb?

Yes, it is a completely regular -ar verb, making it very easy to conjugate in all tenses!

What is the difference between 'dibujar' and 'pintar'?

Generally, 'dibujar' refers to using lines (pencils, pens, charcoal), while 'pintar' refers to using colors and brushes (painting).