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ojalar

oh-hah-LAHR/oxaˈlaɾ/

“ojalar” means “to make buttonholes” in Spanish (tailoring and garment construction).

to make buttonholes

Also: to pierce
VerbB2regular ar
A close-up of a person's hand using a needle and thread to carefully sew the edge of a small slit in a piece of blue fabric.
gerundojalando
infinitiveojalar
past Participleojalado

📝 In Action

Tengo que ojalar la chaqueta antes de terminarla.

B1

I have to make the buttonholes in the jacket before finishing it.

La modista ojalará el vestido a mano.

B2

The dressmaker will make the buttonholes in the dress by hand.

Es más rápido ojalar con una máquina moderna.

A2

It is faster to make buttonholes with a modern machine.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • descoser (to unsew/undo)

Common Collocations

  • ojalar a mano – to make buttonholes by hand
  • máquina de ojalar – buttonhole machine

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

present

yoojale
nosotrosojalemos
vosotrosojaléis
él/ella/ustedojale
ellos/ellas/ustedesojalen
túojales

imperfect

yoojalara
nosotrosojaláramos
vosotrosojalarais
él/ella/ustedojalara
ellos/ellas/ustedesojalaran
túojalaras

indicative

present

yoojalo
nosotrosojalamos
vosotrosojaláis
él/ella/ustedojala
ellos/ellas/ustedesojalan
túojalas

preterite

yoojalé
nosotrosojalamos
vosotrosojalasteis
él/ella/ustedojaló
ellos/ellas/ustedesojalaron
túojalaste

imperfect

yoojalaba
nosotrosojalábamos
vosotrosojalabais
él/ella/ustedojalaba
ellos/ellas/ustedesojalaban
túojalabas
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "ojalar" in Spanish:

to pierce→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: ojalar

Question 1 of 3

What are you doing if you are 'ojalando'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
ojal(buttonhole) — Noun
ojaladura(set of buttonholes) — Noun
ojaleador(buttonhole maker (person or tool)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Derived from the noun 'ojal' (buttonhole), which comes from 'ojo' (eye), referring to the eye-like shape of a hole in fabric.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: alhear

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'ojalar' related to the word 'ojalá'?

No. While they look similar, 'ojalá' comes from an Arabic phrase meaning 'should God will it,' whereas 'ojalar' comes from 'ojo' (eye) because buttonholes look like little eyes.

Is this word used often in daily conversation?

Not really, unless you are talking about sewing, fashion design, or tailoring.

Can I use 'ojalar' for any kind of hole?

Usually, it is specifically for buttonholes in clothing. For other types of holes, words like 'perforar' or 'agujerear' are more common.