Inklingo
Dictionary

heredar

eh-reh-dahreɾeˈðaɾ

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

to inheritA2Verb

receiving money, property, or titles from someone who has died

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to inheritB1Verb

receiving physical or personality traits from parents

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to inheritAlso: to come into

VerbA2regular ar
A wooden chest overflowing with shiny gold coins and jewelry on a simple background.
gerundheredando
past Participleheredado
infinitiveheredar

📝 In Action

Ella va a heredar la casa de sus abuelos.

A2

She is going to inherit her grandparents' house.

Heredé un poco de dinero y decidí viajar.

B1

I inherited a bit of money and decided to travel.

Es necesario hacer un testamento para que tus hijos puedan heredar sin problemas.

B2

It is necessary to make a will so your children can inherit without problems.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • legar (to bequeath/leave to someone)
  • desheredar (to disinherit)

Common Collocations

  • heredar una fortuna – to inherit a fortune
  • heredar tierras – to inherit lands

to inheritAlso: to take after

VerbB1regular ar
A father and a young son both smiling, showing they have the same bright red hair and freckles.
gerundheredando
past Participleheredado
infinitiveheredar

📝 In Action

Heredé el carácter fuerte de mi madre.

B1

I inherited my mother's strong character.

Muchos niños heredan el color de ojos de sus padres.

B1

Many children inherit their parents' eye color.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • heredar rasgos – to inherit features/traits
  • heredar genes – to inherit genes

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoheredara
túheredaras
él/ella/ustedheredara
nosotrosheredáramos
vosotrosheredarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesheredaran

Present Subjunctive

yoherede
túheredes
él/ella/ustedherede
nosotrosheredemos
vosotrosheredéis
ellos/ellas/ustedeshereden

Indicative

Preterite

yoheredé
túheredaste
él/ella/ustedheredó
nosotrosheredamos
vosotrosheredasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesheredaron

Imperfect

yoheredaba
túheredabas
él/ella/ustedheredaba
nosotrosheredábamos
vosotrosheredabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesheredaban

Present

yoheredo
túheredas
él/ella/ustedhereda
nosotrosheredamos
vosotrosheredáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesheredan
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "heredar" in Spanish:

to inherit

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: heredar

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I inherited a car from my uncle'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
la herencia(inheritance) — Noun
heredero(heir) — Noun
hereditario(hereditary) — Adjective
desheredar(to disinherit) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes
hablarllegaresperar
📚 Etymology

From the Latin word 'hereditare', which means 'to be an heir'. This comes from 'heres' (heir).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: inheritFrench: hériterItalian: ereditare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'heredar' only apply to dead people?

While it usually refers to receiving things after someone passes away, in a biological sense, it refers to traits you get from your living parents as well.

Can I use 'heredar' for a job position?

Yes, it can be used figuratively to mean taking over a role or a situation, like 'He inherited a mess at work' (Heredó un desastre en el trabajo).

What is the difference between 'heredar' and 'recibir'?

'Recibir' is general (to receive anything), while 'heredar' specifically implies it was passed down through family or a legal will.