Inklingo

fluir

floo-EER/fluˈir/

fluir means to flow in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to flow, to run

Also: to circulate
VerbB1irregular (spelling change) ir
A gentle blue river winding smoothly through a green meadow.
gerundfluyendo
past Participlefluido
infinitivefluir

📝 In Action

El agua fluye suavemente por el arroyo.

A2

The water flows gently through the stream.

La sangre fluye por las venas hacia el corazón.

B1

Blood flows through the veins toward the heart.

El tráfico comenzó a fluir después del accidente.

B2

Traffic began to flow after the accident.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • correr (to run/flow)
  • manar (to gush/pour)

Antonyms

  • estancarse (to stagnate/stop flowing)
  • detenerse (to stop)

Common Collocations

  • fluir con facilidadto flow with ease
  • dejar fluirto let flow

to flow

Also: to go with the flow
VerbB2irregular (spelling change) ir
Colorful light trails moving smoothly through the air in a graceful pattern.

📝 In Action

Las ideas fluyen mejor cuando no hay distracciones.

B2

Ideas flow better when there are no distractions.

La conversación fluyó de forma natural durante la cena.

B2

The conversation flowed naturally during dinner.

A veces es mejor dejar de luchar y simplemente fluir.

C1

Sometimes it's better to stop fighting and just go with the flow.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • deslizarse (to glide/slide)

Antonyms

  • bloquearse (to get blocked)

Common Collocations

  • fluir las ideasideas flowing

Idioms & Expressions

  • Dejar fluirTo let things happen naturally without trying to control them.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesfluyeran
yofluyera
fluyeras
vosotrosfluyerais
nosotrosfluyéramos
él/ella/ustedfluyera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesfluyan
yofluya
fluyas
vosotrosfluyáis
nosotrosfluyamos
él/ella/ustedfluya

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesfluyeron
yofluí
fluiste
vosotrosfluisteis
nosotrosfluimos
él/ella/ustedfluyó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesfluían
yofluía
fluías
vosotrosfluíais
nosotrosfluíamos
él/ella/ustedfluía

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesfluyen
yofluyo
fluyes
vosotrosfluís
nosotrosfluimos
él/ella/ustedfluye

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "fluir" in Spanish:

to circulateto flowto run

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: fluir

Question 1 of 3

Which form is the correct 'yo' (I) form in the present tense?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
fluidez(fluency/fluidity)Noun
fluido(fluid/liquid)Noun
afluente(tributary (river))Noun
confluencia(meeting point/confluence)Noun
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

From the Latin word 'fluere', meaning 'to flow' or 'to stream'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: fluidFrench: fluerPortuguese: fluir

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'fluir' mean the same thing as 'streaming' on the internet?

No. While 'streaming' comes from 'stream' (a flow of water), in Spanish we use 'transmisión' or simply the English word 'streaming'. 'Fluir' is for physical movement or metaphorical ease.

Why does the word change so much in the past tense?

It's because of the vowels. When the letter 'i' gets stuck between two other vowels during conjugation, Spanish usually changes it to a 'y' to make it easier to say.

Is it formal or informal?

It's quite neutral. You'll hear it in science class (blood flow), in business (workflow), and in casual conversation (letting things flow).