disminuir
“disminuir” means “to decrease” in Spanish (general reduction in size or amount).
to decrease, to reduce
Also: to diminish, to slow down
📝 In Action
Debes disminuir el consumo de sal.
A2You should reduce your salt intake.
La lluvia comenzó a disminuir por la tarde.
B1The rain began to let up in the afternoon.
La empresa quiere disminuir los gastos este año.
B2The company wants to decrease expenses this year.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: disminuir
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I decrease' in Spanish?
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👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'disminuere', where 'dis-' implies breaking apart or away, and 'minuere' means to make smaller.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'disminuir' more formal than 'bajar'?
Yes, 'disminuir' sounds more professional or academic. You would use 'bajar' to tell someone to turn down the TV volume, but 'disminuir' to talk about a drop in crime rates.
Can I use 'disminuir' for both people and objects?
It is mostly used for amounts, intensity, or size. You wouldn't use it to describe a person getting shorter, but you could use it to describe a person's energy or influence decreasing.
Does the 'y' change happen in all tenses?
No, the 'y' change only happens when the 'i' would be between two vowels, such as in the present (disminuyo) or the third-person past (disminuyó).