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enfriar

en-free-ahr/eɱfɾjaɾ/

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

to cool, to chill

Also: to refrigerate
VerbA2regular ar
A steaming bowl of soup sitting on a table with a small blue electric fan blowing air onto it to lower the temperature.
gerundenfriando
past Participleenfriado
infinitiveenfriar

📝 In Action

Tienes que enfriar el vino antes de servirlo.

A2

You have to chill the wine before serving it.

Usa un ventilador para enfriar la habitación.

B1

Use a fan to cool down the room.

No dejes que se enfríe la cena.

A2

Don't let the dinner get cold.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • refrigerar (to refrigerate)
  • refrescar (to freshen/cool slightly)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • enfriar la sopa – to cool down the soup
  • enfriar bebidas – to chill drinks

to dampen, to cool off

Also: to discourage
VerbB2regular ar
A bright campfire being put out by a heavy rain cloud, turning the bright orange flames into grey smoke.
gerundenfriando
past Participleenfriado
infinitiveenfriar

📝 In Action

Su falta de respuesta enfrió mi entusiasmo.

B2

His lack of response dampened my enthusiasm.

La discusión enfrió la relación entre ellos.

B2

The argument cooled off the relationship between them.

No dejes que los problemas enfríen tus ganas de viajar.

C1

Don't let problems discourage your desire to travel.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • desanimar (to discourage)
  • mitigar (to soften/moderate)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • enfriar los ánimos – to calm people down / dampen spirits
  • enfriar la pasión – to cool the passion

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesenfríaran
yoenfriara
túenfriaras
vosotrosenfriarais
nosotrosenfriáramos
él/ella/ustedenfriara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesenfríen
yoenfríe
túenfríes
vosotrosenfriéis
nosotrosenfriemos
él/ella/ustedenfríe

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesenfriaron
yoenfrié
túenfriaste
vosotrosenfriasteis
nosotrosenfriamos
él/ella/ustedenfrió

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesenfriaban
yoenfriaba
túenfriabas
vosotrosenfriabais
nosotrosenfriábamos
él/ella/ustedenfriaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesenfrían
yoenfrío
túenfrías
vosotrosenfriáis
nosotrosenfriamos
él/ella/ustedenfría
View All Tenses & Moods →

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "enfriar" in Spanish:

to chill→to cool→to dampen→to discourage→to refrigerate→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: enfriar

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence means 'I cool the coffee'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
frío(cold) — Noun / Adjective
enfriamiento(cooling/chilling) — Noun
frialdad(coldness) — Noun
resfriado(a cold (illness)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Spanish prefix 'en-' (in/into) combined with 'frío' (cold), which comes from the Latin word 'frigidus'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: esfriarItalian: raffreddare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'enfriar' mean to catch a cold?

Not exactly. While 'enfriarse' can occasionally mean to catch a chill in some regions, Spanish speakers usually use the word 'resfriarse' for catching a cold.

What is the difference between 'enfriar' and 'refrescar'?

'Enfriar' is more general and often means making something quite cold. 'Refrescar' means to make something 'fresh' or 'cool'—think of a light breeze or a refreshing drink that isn't necessarily ice-cold.

Is 'enfriar' an irregular verb?

No, it is a perfectly regular -ar verb. It follows the same patterns as 'hablar' or 'cantar'.