girar
“girar” means “to turn” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to turn, to rotateAlso: to spin
📝 In Action
La Tierra gira alrededor del Sol.
A1The Earth turns (rotates) around the Sun.
El bailarín giró tres veces antes de caer.
A2The dancer spun three times before falling.
Word Connections
to turnAlso: to veer
📝 In Action
Tienes que girar a la izquierda en el semáforo.
A2You have to turn left at the traffic light.
El coche giró bruscamente para evitar el perro.
B1The car turned sharply to avoid the dog.
Word Connections
to issue, to transferAlso: to write
📝 In Action
La empresa debe girar un cheque al proveedor mañana.
B1The company must issue a check to the supplier tomorrow.
¿Puedes girarme 50 euros por Western Union?
B2Can you transfer 50 euros to me via Western Union?
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: girar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'girar' in its financial sense (Definition 3)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
📚 Etymology
The word comes from the Late Latin term 'gyrare,' meaning 'to turn in a circle' or 'to whirl.' This root is related to the Greek word 'gyros,' which meant 'ring' or 'circle,' giving us the core sense of rotation.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'girar' the same as 'volver'?
No. 'Girar' means to turn or rotate, often changing direction or position. 'Volver' means to return (go back to a place) or to turn over/flip something. They are not interchangeable.
How do I say 'to turn around' (as in, turn my whole body)?
You would typically use the reflexive form 'girarse' or, more commonly, 'darse la vuelta' (to give oneself a turn).