Inklingo
← Dictionary

inclinar

een-klee-nahr/iŋkliˈnaɾ/

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

to tilt, to lean

Also: to tip, to bow
VerbA2regular ar
A colorful pitcher pouring water, tilted at a steep angle.
gerundinclinando
past Participleinclinado
infinitiveinclinar

📝 In Action

Él inclinó la cabeza para saludar.

A1

He tilted his head to say hello.

No inclines mucho la botella o se caerá el vino.

A2

Don't tilt the bottle too much or the wine will fall out.

Ella se inclinó para recoger sus llaves del suelo.

B1

She leaned over to pick up her keys from the floor.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ladear (to tilt to one side)
  • agachar (to lower/bend down)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • inclinar la cabeza – to tilt/bow the head
  • inclinar el cuerpo – to lean the body

to lean toward, to influence

Also: to predispose
VerbB1regular ar
A person standing at a fork in a path, physically leaning their body toward the left path.
gerundinclinando
past Participleinclinado
infinitiveinclinar

📝 In Action

Me inclino por la primera propuesta; parece más barata.

B1

I'm leaning toward the first proposal; it seems cheaper.

Sus palabras inclinaron la balanza a mi favor.

B2

His words tipped the scales in my favor.

La falta de tiempo me inclina a pensar que no vendrá.

C1

The lack of time leads me to believe he won't come.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • disuadir (to dissuade)

Common Collocations

  • inclinar la balanza – to tip the scales / tip the balance
  • inclinarse por algo – to lean toward / opt for something

Idioms & Expressions

  • inclinar la balanza – To make a decision go one way or the other by providing a final reason or piece of evidence.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesinclinaran
yoinclinara
túinclinaras
vosotrosinclinarais
nosotrosinclináramos
él/ella/ustedinclinara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesinclinen
yoincline
túinclines
vosotrosinclinéis
nosotrosinclinemos
él/ella/ustedincline

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesinclinaron
yoincliné
túinclinaste
vosotrosinclinasteis
nosotrosinclinamos
él/ella/ustedinclinó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesinclinaban
yoinclinaba
túinclinabas
vosotrosinclinabais
nosotrosinclinábamos
él/ella/ustedinclinaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesinclinan
yoinclino
túinclinas
vosotrosinclináis
nosotrosinclinamos
él/ella/ustedinclina
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "inclinar" in Spanish:

to bow→to influence→to lean→to predispose→to tilt→to tip→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: inclinar

Question 1 of 3

If you are leaning over to tie your shoes, which is correct?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
inclinación(inclination/tilt) — Noun
inclinado(tilted/slanted) — Adjective
reclinarse(to lean back/recline) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'inclinare', meaning 'to bend' or 'to lean towards'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: inclineFrench: inclinerItalian: inchinare

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'inclinar' a regular verb?

Yes! It follows the standard -ar verb rules perfectly, so if you know how to conjugate 'hablar', you know how to conjugate 'inclinar'.

What is the difference between 'inclinar' and 'doblar'?

'Inclinar' usually means to lean or tilt something while it stays straight. 'Doblar' means to fold or bend something so it's no longer straight (like a piece of paper or your knees).

How do I say 'I lean toward the red one'?

You would say: 'Me inclino por el rojo'.