importa
“importa” means “it matters” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
it matters
Also: do you mind
📝 In Action
No importa, podemos intentarlo de nuevo mañana.
A1It doesn't matter, we can try again tomorrow.
¿Te importa si cierro la puerta? Hace frío.
A2Do you mind if I close the door? It's cold.
A mis padres les importa mucho que yo estudie.
B1It matters a lot to my parents that I study.
Lo que de verdad importa es la familia.
B1What really matters is family.
he/she/it imports
📝 In Action
Nuestra empresa importa café de Colombia.
B1Our company imports coffee from Colombia.
El país importa la mayoría de su energía.
B2The country imports most of its energy.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "importa" in Spanish:
it matters→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: importa
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'importa' to mean 'it matters'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'importāre', which literally means 'to carry in' or 'to bring in'. This single origin explains both main meanings: 'to bring in' goods from another country (to import) and 'to carry' weight or significance (to matter).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'importa' and 'es importante'?
Great question! They're very similar. Use 'importa' when you want to say something 'matters'. It's a verb, an action. Use 'es importante' when you want to say something 'is important'. It's a description. Often, you can use either one: 'Importa estudiar' (It matters to study) or 'Es importante estudiar' (It is important to study).
How do I know if 'importa' means 'it matters' or 'he imports'?
Look at the words around it! If you see 'a mí me', 'a ti te', etc., it almost always means 'matters'. If you see a company or a country as the one doing the action, it probably means 'imports'. Context is everything!