escribir
/es-kree-BEER/
to write
Escribir means the general act of putting words on a surface, like writing in a journal.
escribir(Verb)
to write
?General act of putting words on a surface
to type
?On a keyboard or phone
,to spell
?Writing out the letters of a word
📝 In Action
¿Puedes escribir tu nombre aquí?
A1Can you write your name here?
Estoy escribiendo un correo a mi jefe.
A1I'm writing an email to my boss.
Ayer escribí una lista de la compra.
A2Yesterday I wrote a shopping list.
¿Cómo se escribe 'biblioteca'?
A2How do you write/spell 'biblioteca'?
💡 Grammar Points
A Regular -ir Verb
In most tenses, 'escribir' follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in '-ir'. For example, in the present tense, 'yo vivo' (I live) becomes 'yo escribo' (I write).
❌ Common Pitfalls
The Past Form 'escrito'
Mistake: "He *escribido* una carta."
Correction: He **escrito** una carta. (I have written a letter). The form of a verb used after 'have' or 'has' is special for 'escribir'. It's always 'escrito', never 'escribido'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Handwriting, Typing, it's all 'escribir'
In Spanish, you use 'escribir' for both writing with a pen and typing on a keyboard. You can say 'escribo un mensaje' whether you're texting or writing a note.
Escribir can also be used to mean the act of composing music or poetry.
escribir(Verb)
to compose
?Music, poetry
to author
?A book, an article
📝 In Action
Gabriel García Márquez escribió 'Cien años de soledad'.
B1Gabriel García Márquez wrote 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'.
Mi sueño es escribir una canción para una película.
B1My dream is to compose a song for a movie.
El periodista escribió un artículo sobre el cambio climático.
B2The journalist wrote an article about climate change.
⭐ Usage Tips
From Notes to Novels
This meaning of 'escribir' is about creation. While you 'escribir' a shopping list, an author also 'escribe' a masterpiece. The context tells you if it's simple writing or artistic creation.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: escribir
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'escribir' to mean 'to compose' a creative work?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I see 'he escrito' and not 'he escribido'? I thought the ending was '-ido' for '-ir' verbs.
That's a great observation! While most '-ir' verbs do use '-ido' for their past form (like 'vivido' from 'vivir'), 'escribir' is one of a handful of special, irregular verbs. Its past form is always 'escrito'. You just have to memorize this one, but luckily there aren't many like it!
Is there a difference between 'escribir' and 'redactar'?
'Escribir' is the general, all-purpose word for 'to write'. 'Redactar' is a bit more formal and is often used for drafting official documents, emails, or reports. Think of it as 'to draft' or 'to compose text carefully'. For everyday use, 'escribir' is always a safe bet.