hueles
“hueles” means “you smell” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
you smellAlso: you sniff
📝 In Action
¿Hueles a quemado? Creo que algo se está cocinando de más.
A1Do you smell something burning? I think something is overcooking.
Si hueles algo raro, dímelo de inmediato.
A2If you smell anything strange, tell me immediately.
Word Connections
you smell ofAlso: you reek of
📝 In Action
¡Qué bien hueles! ¿Es un perfume nuevo?
A1You smell so good! Is that a new perfume?
Hueles a cloro, ¿estuviste limpiando la piscina?
A2You smell of chlorine, were you cleaning the pool?
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: hueles
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'hueles' to describe the quality or type of scent being emitted?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
Comes from the Latin word *olēre*, meaning 'to emit a smell'. The irregular 'h-' at the beginning of the present tense forms (huelo, hueles, etc.) appeared later in Spanish development.
First recorded: Old Spanish (around 13th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'oler' start with an 'h' in some conjugations but not others?
The verb 'oler' is stem-changing, meaning the vowel 'o' changes to 'ue' in most present tense forms (hUelo, hUeles). Historically, the sound represented by 'ue' sometimes attracted a silent 'h' in Spanish, but only where the stem change occurs. In 'nosotros' (olemos) and 'vosotros' (oléis), the stem doesn't change, so the 'h' is dropped.
How do I say 'You smell good' vs. 'You smell bad'?
You can say 'Hueles bien' (You smell good) or 'Hueles mal' (You smell bad). If you want to specify the scent, you use 'a': 'Hueles a rosas' (You smell like roses).