explicar
“explicar” means “to explain” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to explain, to clarify
📝 In Action
El profesor explicó la lección de gramática muy lentamente.
A1The teacher explained the grammar lesson very slowly.
¿Puedes explicarme por qué llegaste tarde otra vez?
A2Can you explain to me why you arrived late again?
Necesitamos que nos expliques el plan antes de empezar.
B1We need you to explain the plan to us before starting.
to explain oneself, to make sense
Also: to be understood
📝 In Action
Perdón, no me expliqué bien. Lo que quiero decir es diferente.
B1Sorry, I didn't explain myself well. What I mean is different.
Su comportamiento no se explica, es completamente ilógico.
B2His behavior doesn't make sense (or can't be explained); it is completely illogical.
Es difícil explicarse cuando estás nervioso.
B1It is difficult to express yourself clearly when you are nervous.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: explicar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'explicar' to apologize for poor communication?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *explicāre*, which originally meant 'to unroll,' 'to unfold,' or 'to spread out.' The idea is that when you explain something, you are 'unfolding' the information so others can see it clearly.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'explicar' regular or irregular?
It is a regular verb in terms of its endings, but it has a very common and predictable spelling change (c to qu) in certain forms (like the 'yo' preterite and the subjunctive) to maintain the hard 'k' sound.
How is 'explicar' different from 'describir'?
'Explicar' focuses on giving reasons, clarifying meaning, or showing how something works. 'Describir' (to describe) focuses on detailing the physical features or characteristics of something.