liberar
/lee-beh-RAHR/
to free
"Liberar" means to free from captivity or constraint.
liberar(verb)
to free
?from captivity or constraint
,to set free
?a person or animal
to release
?a prisoner or captive
,to exempt
?from an obligation or duty
📝 In Action
El juez ordenó liberar al acusado por falta de pruebas.
B1The judge ordered the accused to be freed due to lack of evidence.
Quiero liberar a mi perro de la correa para que corra.
A2I want to free my dog from the leash so he can run.
La organización trabaja para liberar a los animales de granjas industriales.
B2The organization works to free animals from factory farms.
💡 Grammar Points
Regular -AR Verb
Like many common Spanish verbs, 'liberar' follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -ar. Just remove the '-ar' and add the standard endings for the tense you need.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'liberar' and 'dejar'
Mistake: "Usar 'dejar' cuando se refiere a liberar de una atadura o prisión (e.g., 'Dejé al prisionero')."
Correction: Use 'liberar' when the action involves setting someone or something completely free from constraint or capture. Use 'dejar' when you mean 'to leave' or 'to allow.'
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'De'
When saying what someone is being freed from, use the preposition 'de' (of/from): 'Lo liberaron del castigo' (They freed him from the punishment).
"Liberar" can mean to release a product or statement.
liberar(verb)
to release
?a product, information, or statement
,to discharge
?energy or chemicals
to launch
?a new movie or album
,to issue
?a report
📝 In Action
La farmacéutica liberó los resultados de los ensayos clínicos.
B2The pharmaceutical company released the results of the clinical trials.
El volcán liberó una gran cantidad de ceniza a la atmósfera.
B1The volcano released a large amount of ash into the atmosphere.
Por fin van a liberar la nueva versión del juego.
B1They are finally going to release the new version of the game.
💡 Grammar Points
Using the Future Tense
When talking about planned releases (products, movies), the simple future tense ('liberará') or the immediate future ('va a liberar') are both very common.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Contexts
This meaning is often used when the subject is a large entity (a company, a government, a natural phenomenon) and the object is abstract (data, reports, energy).
"Liberar" also means to free up space or resources.
liberar(verb)
to free up
?space or resources
,to clear
?disk space or memory
to vacate
?a room or area
📝 In Action
Borré muchos archivos para liberar espacio en mi teléfono.
B2I deleted a lot of files to free up space on my phone.
Si terminamos temprano, podemos liberar tiempo para otras tareas.
C1If we finish early, we can free up time for other tasks.
Necesitamos liberar la mesa para la próxima reunión.
B2We need to clear the table for the next meeting.
💡 Grammar Points
Using the Infinitive
It is very common to use 'liberar' right after a verb of necessity (like 'necesitar' or 'querer') combined with the preposition 'para' (in order to): 'Quiero liberar espacio.'
⭐ Usage Tips
Computing Context
In technology, 'liberar' is the standard way to talk about deleting files or adjusting settings to make room on a device.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: liberar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'liberar' in the sense of 'to release a product or information'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'liberar' reflexive? Can I use 'liberarse'?
Yes! 'Liberarse' is very common and means 'to free oneself' or 'to get rid of.' For example, 'Me liberé de la deuda' (I freed myself from the debt).
How is 'liberar' different from 'soltar'?
'Liberar' is generally a more formal word used for important actions like freeing prisoners or releasing official documents. 'Soltar' is more casual and often means 'to let go' or 'to drop' something small, like releasing a ball or letting go of a rope.