huele
/WEY-leh/
smells (it/he/she)
"Huele" means 'it smells' or 'he/she smells,' often referring to the act of perceiving an odor.
huele(Verb)
smells (it/he/she)
?Perceiving or emitting an odor
is sniffing
?Active action of smelling
,has a scent
?Quality of a thing
📝 In Action
¡Qué bien huele este café! Es muy aromático.
A1This coffee smells so good! It’s very aromatic.
¿Por qué el perro huele tanto la basura?
A2Why is the dog smelling the trash so much?
Ella huele las flores antes de comprarlas.
A2She smells the flowers before buying them.
💡 Grammar Points
Stem Change
This verb is irregular because the 'o' in the middle changes to 'ue' in most present tense forms, except for 'nosotros' and 'vosotros', which keep the 'o'.
The Silent 'H'
Even though this word starts with 'h', it is silent. You pronounce it exactly like 'we.leh'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'H'
Mistake: "Escribir 'uele' en lugar de 'huele'."
Correction: Always remember the silent 'h' in 'oler' and its conjugations (huelo, hueles, huele, huelen).
⭐ Usage Tips
Scent Description
To say what something smells like, always use 'huele a' (smells to): 'Huele a lavanda' (It smells like lavender).
When used metaphorically, "huele" can mean to suspect or sense that something negative is about to happen, like 'smells like trouble.'
huele(Verb)
smells like (trouble)
?To suspect or imply something negative
suggests
?Figurative implication
📝 In Action
Esa propuesta huele a fraude. No deberíamos confiar.
B1That proposal smells like fraud. We shouldn't trust it.
Cuando miente, siempre huele a excusa barata.
B2When he lies, it always smells like a cheap excuse.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
When used figuratively, 'huele' almost always suggests a negative connotation or a problem, similar to how we say 'I smell a rat' in English.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'a'
Just like the physical meaning, the figurative meaning requires the preposition 'a' to indicate what the situation 'smells like': 'Huele a problemas' (It smells like problems).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: huele
Question 1 of 1
Which of these sentences correctly uses the figurative meaning of 'huele'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'oler' change to 'huele'?
'Oler' is an irregular verb that follows the O>UE stem-change pattern in many present tense forms (huelo, hueles, huele, huelen). It's one of the few verbs that uses an initial 'H' to accommodate the 'ue' sound at the start of the word.
Does 'huele' require a preposition?
Yes, when describing the *source* of the scent, 'huele' must be followed by the preposition 'a' (to). Example: 'Huele a pan caliente' (It smells *of* [literally 'to'] warm bread).