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lucir

loo-SEER/luˈθir/

to look good

Also: to shine
VerbA2irregular ir
A shiny, polished red apple resting on a clean wooden table.
gerundluciendo
past Participlelucido
infinitivelucir

📝 In Action

Ese vestido te hace lucir muy bien.

A2

That dress makes you look very good.

Los cuadros lucen mucho en esta pared blanca.

B1

The paintings look great on this white wall.

El sol luce con fuerza hoy.

A2

The sun is shining brightly today.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • deslucir (to tarnish or spoil the look of)

Common Collocations

  • lucir bien – to look good / to suit someone
  • lucir espléndido – to look splendid

to wear, to show off

VerbB1irregular ir
A person wearing a bright, elegant silk scarf around their neck with a smile.

📝 In Action

Ella luce sus joyas con elegancia.

B1

She wears her jewelry with elegance.

El atleta lucía su medalla de oro.

B2

The athlete was showing off his gold medal.

Es el momento de lucir tu talento.

B1

It's time to show off your talent.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • lucir palmito – to show off one's figure

to outdo oneself

Also: to make a fool of oneself
VerbB2reflexive irinformal
A chef presenting a perfectly decorated, multi-layered cake with a look of accomplishment.

📝 In Action

Te has lucido con esta cena, ¡está deliciosa!

B2

You've really outdone yourself with this dinner; it's delicious!

¡Vaya, te has lucido rompiendo el jarrón!

C1

Wow, you've really done it now by breaking the vase!

Word Connections

Idioms & Expressions

  • Lucirse (sarcastic) – To mess up badly or make an embarrassing mistake.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedeslucieran
yoluciera
túlucieras
vosotroslucierais
nosotrosluciéramos
él/ella/ustedluciera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesluzcan
yoluzca
túluzcas
vosotrosluzcáis
nosotrosluzcamos
él/ella/ustedluzca

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedeslucieron
yolucí
túluciste
vosotroslucisteis
nosotroslucimos
él/ella/ustedlució

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedeslucían
yolucía
túlucías
vosotroslucíais
nosotroslucíamos
él/ella/ustedlucía

present

ellos/ellas/ustedeslucen
yoluzco
túluces
vosotroslucís
nosotroslucimos
él/ella/ustedluce
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: lucir

Question 1 of 3

Which form is correct for 'I look good'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
lucido(magnificent/brilliant) — Adjective
deslucir(to spoil the appearance) — Verb
relucir(to stand out/to shine) — Verb
luz(light) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'lucere', which means 'to shine' or 'to be bright'. It shares the same root as the word for light, 'lux'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: lucereEnglish: lucid

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'lucir' and 'brillar'?

'Brillar' is usually for literal light (like the stars), while 'lucir' is more about appearance (looking good or wearing something elegantly).

Is 'lucir' always positive?

Mostly yes, but the reflexive form 'lucirse' can be sarcastic to mean someone made a fool of themselves.

Can I use 'lucir' for furniture?

Yes! If a sofa makes your living room look great, you can say: 'El sofá luce mucho en el salón'.