flotar
“flotar” means “to float” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to float
Also: to buoy
📝 In Action
La madera flota en el agua.
A1Wood floats on water.
Aprendí a flotar de espaldas en la piscina.
A2I learned to float on my back in the pool.
Hay mucho aceite flotando en la sopa.
B1There is a lot of oil floating in the soup.
to drift
Also: to hover
📝 In Action
Las hojas secas flotaban por el aire.
A2The dry leaves were drifting through the air.
En el espacio, todo flota porque no hay gravedad.
B1In space, everything floats because there is no gravity.
Un suave aroma a flores flotaba en la habitación.
B2A soft scent of flowers was lingering in the room.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: flotar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence describes a person relaxing in a pool?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Old French word 'floter', which originally comes from a Germanic root meaning to flow or stream.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'flotar' irregular in any tense?
No, it is a completely regular -ar verb. It follows the exact same patterns as 'hablar' or 'cantar'.
Can I use 'flotar' for ideas?
Yes! You can say 'Una idea flotaba en mi mente' to mean a thought was lingering in your mind.
What is the difference between 'flotar' and 'nadar'?
Nadar is active movement (swimming). Flotar is staying on top of the water without necessarily moving your arms or legs.