importar
/eem-por-tar/
to matter
Importar can mean 'to matter' or 'to be important'.
importar(verb)
to matter
?to be important
,to be important
?to have significance
to care
?when used with indirect object pronouns (me, te, le, etc.)
📝 In Action
¿Te importa si cierro la ventana?
A1Does it matter to you if I close the window?
Su opinión no nos importa mucho.
A2His opinion doesn't matter much to us.
Lo que realmente importa es tu salud.
B1What really matters is your health.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Importar' like 'Gustar'
When using 'importar' to say something is important to someone, you must use an indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les). The thing that matters is the subject of the sentence, not the person.
Third Person Dominance
You will almost always hear 'importa' (if one thing matters) or 'importan' (if many things matter). The other conjugations are usually only used for the trade meaning.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Saying 'I care'
Mistake: "Yo importo (I import / I matter)"
Correction: Me importa (It matters to me / I care). Remember, the thing matters TO you, so you use 'me'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Quick Dismissal
The phrase 'No importa' is the standard, polite way to say 'It's okay,' 'Never mind,' or 'It doesn't matter' in Spanish.
When referring to commerce, importar means 'to import' goods or services into a country.
📝 In Action
México importa muchos vehículos de Japón.
B1Mexico imports many vehicles from Japan.
La empresa importa las materias primas de China.
B2The company imports the raw materials from China.
Si importamos menos, el precio subirá.
C1If we import less, the price will go up.
💡 Grammar Points
Direct Object Use
When used in the sense of trade, 'importar' acts like a normal verb. The thing being brought into the country is the direct object: 'Nosotros importamos café' (We import coffee).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Meanings
Mistake: "Le importa café (Coffee matters to him)"
Correction: Él importa café (He imports coffee). Remember to use the full subject pronoun when talking about trade to avoid confusion with the 'to matter' structure.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context Clues
If you see 'importar' used with countries, goods, or trade terms, it almost certainly means 'to import.' If it's used with feelings, opinions, or personal situations, it means 'to matter.'
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: importar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'importar' in the sense of 'to matter'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I say 'I don't care' using importar?
The most common way is 'No me importa.' You are literally saying 'It doesn't matter to me.' You can also use 'No nos importa' (We don't care).
Is 'importar' irregular?
No, 'importar' is a perfectly regular -AR verb. You conjugate it just like 'hablar' or 'cantar' in all tenses, although you primarily use the third-person forms for the 'to matter' meaning.