informar
/in-for-MAR/
to inform
When you use informar to mean 'to inform,' you are giving facts or knowledge to someone else.
informar(verb)
to inform
?to give facts to someone
,to notify
?to make someone aware
to report
?to give an official account
,to advise
?formal context
📝 In Action
Le informamos que su vuelo ha sido cancelado.
A2We inform you that your flight has been canceled.
El periodista informó sobre el accidente en vivo.
B1The journalist reported on the accident live.
Por favor, infórmale a tu jefe de los cambios.
A2Please, inform your boss of the changes.
💡 Grammar Points
Reporting the Topic
When you report what the information is about, you usually use the preposition 'de' or 'sobre': 'Informé al jefe de la situación' (I informed the boss of the situation).
Who Receives the Information
The person receiving the information is the direct object (or sometimes an indirect object pronoun 'le/les' in Spanish), which means they receive the action: 'Informaron a los clientes' (They informed the clients).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Missing Preposition
Mistake: "La noticia informó la crisis."
Correction: La noticia informó *sobre* la crisis. (The news reported *on* the crisis.) The preposition is necessary before the thing being reported.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Tone
While common, 'informar' carries a slightly more formal or official tone than 'decir' (to tell) or 'contar' (to recount).
Informar can also mean 'to find out' or 'to seek information for yourself.'
informar(verb)
to find out
?to seek information for oneself
,to get informed
?to become knowledgeable
to research
?to investigate a topic
📝 In Action
Antes de votar, debes informarte bien sobre los candidatos.
B1Before voting, you must inform yourself well about the candidates (or: you must get well informed about the candidates).
Me informo de las noticias cada mañana.
A2I find out about the news every morning.
¿Dónde podemos informarnos sobre el proceso de visa?
B1Where can we find out about the visa process?
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Self-Action' Verb
The 'se' at the end turns 'informar' into a reflexive verb ('informarse'). This means the person doing the action is also the one receiving it—you are informing yourself.
Pronominal Use
Remember to use the correct reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) before the conjugated verb: 'Yo me informo', 'Tú te informas', etc.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Reflexive Pronoun
Mistake: "Yo informo de las noticias."
Correction: Yo *me* informo de las noticias. (If you mean 'I find out/get informed,' you must include 'me'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Mandatory Preposition
When using 'informarse,' you almost always need the preposition 'de' or 'sobre' before the topic you are researching.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: informar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'informarse' (the reflexive form) correctly?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'informar' and 'informarse'?
'Informar' means *to give information to someone else* ('Yo informo a mi amigo'). 'Informarse' means *to get information for yourself* ('Yo me informo'). The key is who receives the knowledge.
Should I use 'de' or 'sobre' after 'informar'?
Both are common when stating the topic of the information. 'Sobre' (about) is often preferred, but 'de' (of) is also very standard, especially in more formal or regional contexts. Example: 'Informar sobre el clima' or 'Informar del clima'.