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generar

he-ne-RARxe.neˈɾaɾ

“generar” means “to generate” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to generate

Also: to produce, to create
VerbA2regular ar
A bright yellow light bulb glowing brightly, connected to a colorful battery by a wire.
gerundgenerando
past Participlegenerado
infinitivegenerar

📝 In Action

Los paneles solares generan electricidad.

A1

Solar panels generate electricity.

Este negocio genera muchas ganancias cada mes.

A2

This business generates a lot of profit every month.

Queremos generar nuevos empleos en la ciudad.

B1

We want to create new jobs in the city.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • generar energía – to generate energy
  • generar ingresos – to generate income
  • generar empleo – to generate employment

to cause

Also: to trigger, to lead to
VerbB1regular ar
A child smiling widely while holding a small puppy, showing a feeling of happiness.
gerundgenerando
past Participlegenerado
infinitivegenerar

📝 In Action

Sus palabras generaron mucha controversia.

B1

His words caused/triggered a lot of controversy.

La nueva ley generó un gran debate en el país.

B2

The new law led to a huge debate in the country.

Eso me genera mucha desconfianza.

B1

That causes a lot of mistrust in me.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • generar dudas – to cause doubt
  • generar expectativas – to raise expectations
  • generar un cambio – to bring about a change

Idioms & Expressions

  • generar ruido – to cause a stir or draw attention

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yogenerara
túgeneraras
él/ella/ustedgenerara
nosotrosgeneráramos
vosotrosgenerarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesgeneraran

Present Subjunctive

yogenere
túgeneres
él/ella/ustedgenere
nosotrosgeneremos
vosotrosgeneréis
ellos/ellas/ustedesgeneren

Indicative

Preterite

yogeneré
túgeneraste
él/ella/ustedgeneró
nosotrosgeneramos
vosotrosgenerasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesgeneraron

Imperfect

yogeneraba
túgenerabas
él/ella/ustedgeneraba
nosotrosgenerábamos
vosotrosgenerabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesgeneraban

Present

yogenero
túgeneras
él/ella/ustedgenera
nosotrosgeneramos
vosotrosgeneráis
ellos/ellas/ustedesgeneran
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "generar" in Spanish:

to cause→to create→to generate→to produce→to trigger→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: generar

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence is the best way to talk about a business making money?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
generador(generator) — Noun
generación(generation) — Noun
generativo(generative) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'generare', which means to produce or to beget. It shares the same root as words like 'gender' and 'generous'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: generateFrench: générerItalian: generare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'generar' always formal?

No, it's used in everyday conversation, especially when talking about how something makes you feel (e.g., 'Esto me genera estrés'). However, it does sound slightly more polished than 'hacer' or 'dar'.

Can I use 'generar' for making food?

No, for making food or physical objects, use 'hacer' or 'cocinar'. 'Generar' is for processes, energy, or abstract concepts.

Does it have any irregular forms?

Good news! 'Generar' is a perfectly regular -ar verb in every single tense.