fiar

fee-AHR/fjaɾ/

“fiar” means “to sell on credit” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to sell on credit🔊B1Verb

giving someone items now to pay for later

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to trust🔊B1Verb

relying on someone's word or a thing's quality

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to sell on credit

Also: to vouch for

VerbB1irregular (vowel changes) ar

A shopkeeper handing a bag of groceries to a customer who is nodding and pointing to a small notebook on the counter.

gerundfiando

past Participlefiado

infinitivefiar

📝 In Action

En esta tienda no se fía a nadie.

In this shop, they don't give credit to anyone.

El carnicero me fía porque me conoce desde hace años.

The butcher lets me pay later because he has known me for years.

¿Podrías fiar a tu hermano para este préstamo?

Could you vouch for your brother for this loan?

Word Connections

Synonyms

acreditar (to credit)

Antonyms

cobrar (to charge/collect payment)

Common Collocations

vender al fiado – to sell on credit
comprar al fiado – to buy on credit

Idioms & Expressions

Hoy no se fía, mañana sí – A humorous sign in shops meaning 'No credit given today (and effectively never)'

to trust

Also: to be confident

VerbB1reflexive (fiarse de) ar

A child falling backward with their eyes closed, being safely caught by a smiling parent.

gerundfiándose

past Participlefiado

infinitivefiarse

📝 In Action

No me fío de ese hombre.

I don't trust that man.

Puedes fiarte de lo que dice el manual.

You can trust what the manual says.

No te fíes mucho, el tiempo puede cambiar.

Don't be too confident, the weather might change.

Word Connections

Synonyms

confiar (to trust)
creer (to believe)

Antonyms

desconfiar (to distrust)
sospechar (to suspect)

Common Collocations

fíate de mí – trust me
no te fíes – don't trust it / watch out

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesfiaran

yofiara

túfiaras

vosotrosfiarais

nosotrosfiáramos

él/ella/ustedfiara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesfíen

yofíe

túfíes

vosotrosfiéis

nosotrosfiemos

él/ella/ustedfíe

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesfiaron

yofié

túfiaste

vosotrosfiasteis

nosotrosfiamos

él/ella/ustedfió

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesfiaban

yofiaba

túfiabas

vosotrosfiabais

nosotrosfiábamos

él/ella/ustedfiaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesfían

yofío

túfías

vosotrosfiáis

nosotrosfiamos

él/ella/ustedfía

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Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "fiar" in Spanish:

to trust→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: fiar

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I don't trust the weather' using the reflexive form?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

confianza(trust/confidence) — Noun

fiado(credit/on trust) — Noun

fiador(guarantor) — Noun

desconfiar(to distrust) — Verb

🎵 Rhymes▼

confiar mirar hablar

📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'fidare', which means 'to trust' or 'to have faith in'. This is the same root that gave us the word 'faith' (fe) and 'fidelity'.

First recorded: 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: fiarItalian: fidare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'fiar' the same as 'confiar'?

They are close, but 'confiar' is usually more emotional or formal, while 'fiarse' (the reflexive version of fiar) is more common in everyday speech for practical reliability.

Can I use 'fiar' for lending money?

Not exactly. 'Fiar' is specifically about giving a product/service now and being paid later. For lending money, use 'prestar'.

Is it always reflexive?

No. Use 'fiar' (non-reflexive) when you are the seller giving credit. Use 'fiarse' (reflexive) when you are the person doing the trusting.