distinguir
“distinguir” means “to tell apart” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to tell apart, to distinguish
Also: to differentiate
📝 In Action
No puedo distinguir el rojo del verde.
A2I can't tell red from green.
Es difícil distinguir entre estos dos tipos de vino.
B1It is difficult to distinguish between these two types of wine.
Los gemelos son tan parecidos que nadie los distingue.
B2The twins look so much alike that nobody can tell them apart.
to make out, to discern
📝 In Action
Había tanta niebla que no se podía distinguir la carretera.
B1There was so much fog that you couldn't make out the road.
Desde aquí se distingue la silueta de la montaña.
B2From here, you can make out the silhouette of the mountain.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: distinguir
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the correct 'I' form (Present Tense) for 'distinguir'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'distinguere', which means to separate by pricking or to mark off.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'distinguir' a regular verb?
Almost! It follows regular -ir patterns except for the 'Yo' form and the Present Subjunctive, where the 'u' is dropped to preserve the sound.
Can I use 'distinguir' for sounds as well as sights?
Yes! You can use it whenever you are trying to pick out a specific sound from background noise.
Does 'distinguirse' mean something different?
Adding 'se' (reflexive) usually means 'to stand out.' For example: 'Ella se distingue por su inteligencia' (She stands out because of her intelligence).