marear
“marear” means “to make dizzy” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to make dizzy, to cause motion sickness
Also: to make feel sick
📝 In Action
Las curvas de la carretera me marean mucho.
A2The curves in the road make me very dizzy.
Ese perfume tan fuerte marea a cualquiera.
B1That strong perfume makes anyone feel sick.
No leas en el autobús, que te vas a marear.
A2Don't read on the bus, you'll get dizzy.
to annoy, to bother
Also: to mess around
📝 In Action
¡No me marees más con ese tema!
B2Don't bother me anymore with that topic!
Nos han mareado con el cambio de horario.
B2They've messed us around with the schedule change.
Deja de marear al gato, pobrecito.
B1Stop annoying the cat, poor thing.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: marear
Question 1 of 3
If you are in a boat and the movement makes you feel sick, you say:
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Spanish word 'mar' (sea). It originally described the sickness sailors felt when navigating on the ocean.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'marear' for heights?
Yes! If looking down from a high building makes your head spin, you can say 'la altura me marea'.
What is the difference between 'marear' and 'marearse'?
'Marear' is the action of causing dizziness (The car makes me dizzy), while 'marearse' is the act of becoming dizzy (I get dizzy).
Is 'marear la perdiz' a bad thing?
Generally, yes. It implies someone is wasting time or avoiding a direct answer to a problem.