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grabar

grah-BAHRɡraˈβaɾ

record

Also: tape, save
VerbA2regular ar
A large, simple illustration of a silver vintage studio microphone placed on a stand, suggesting the act of recording sound.
infinitivegrabar
gerundgrabando
past Participlegrabado

📝 In Action

¿Puedes grabar el partido de fútbol para verlo después?

A2

Can you record the soccer game so we can watch it later?

Estoy grabando un mensaje de voz para mi madre.

A1

I am recording a voice message for my mother.

Asegúrate de grabar todos los cambios en el documento.

B1

Make sure to save all the changes in the document.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • grabar un video – to shoot a video
  • grabar un disco – to burn a CD/record an album

engrave

Also: carve, etch
VerbB1regular ar
Mexico
A close-up illustration of a hand holding a metal stylus, carving a deep, simple curved line onto a flat wooden block.
infinitivegrabar
gerundgrabando
past Participlegrabado

📝 In Action

Queremos grabar nuestras iniciales en los anillos de boda.

B1

We want to engrave our initials on the wedding rings.

El artista grabó un hermoso diseño en el cristal.

B2

The artist etched a beautiful design onto the crystal.

imprint

Also: etch, impress
VerbB2regular arformal
A simple illustration of a stylized human head profile. Inside the head, a bright, glowing star shape is fixed in the center, representing a permanent memory.
infinitivegrabar
gerundgrabando
past Participlegrabado

📝 In Action

Esa imagen se grabó en mi mente para siempre.

B2

That image was imprinted on my mind forever.

Sus palabras de aliento se grabaron en el corazón de los niños.

C1

His words of encouragement were etched into the children's hearts.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedgraba
yograbo
túgrabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesgraban
nosotrosgrabamos
vosotrosgrabáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedgrababa
yogrababa
túgrababas
ellos/ellas/ustedesgrababan
nosotrosgrabábamos
vosotrosgrababais

preterite

él/ella/ustedgrabó
yograbé
túgrabaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesgrabaron
nosotrosgrabamos
vosotrosgrabasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedgrabe
yograbe
túgrabes
ellos/ellas/ustedesgraben
nosotrosgrabemos
vosotrosgrabéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedgrabara/grabase
yograbara/grabase
túgrabaras/grabases
ellos/ellas/ustedesgrabaran/grabasen
nosotrosgrabáramos/grabásemos
vosotrosgrabarais/grabaseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

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✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: grabar

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'grabar' in its figurative meaning (to impress in the mind)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
la grabación(the recording (noun)) — Noun
el grabador(recorder (device or person)) — Noun
grabado/a(recorded/engraved (adjective)) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Old German word 'graban,' meaning 'to dig' or 'to carve.' This connects the original physical meaning (engraving) to the modern technological one (fixing data).

First recorded: 15th century (in Spanish, derived from Germanic roots)

Cognates (Related words)

English: to grave (archaic: to carve)German: graben (to dig)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'grabar' the same as 'guardar' (to save)?

They are similar in computer contexts. 'Grabar' specifically refers to writing data onto permanent media (like burning a CD or recording a file), while 'guardar' is the general term for 'saving' a document.

How do I say 'I am recording'?

You use the present progressive tense: 'Estoy grabando.' (I am recording/taping.)