oler
“oler” means “to smell (of something)” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to smell (of something), to have a smell
Also: to reek
📝 In Action
¡Qué bien huele este café!
A1This coffee smells so good!
La ropa huele a limpio después de lavarla.
A1The clothes smell clean after washing them.
¿A qué huele aquí? ¿A quemado?
A2What does it smell like in here? Burnt?
to sniff, to smell (an object)
Also: to scent
📝 In Action
El perro olió mi mano y luego se fue.
A2The dog sniffed my hand and then left.
Olemos las flores antes de comprarlas.
B1We smell the flowers before buying them.
Hueles la leche para ver si está caducada.
A2You smell the milk to see if it's expired.
to smell fishy, to suspect
Also: to be shady
📝 In Action
Esa oferta de trabajo me huele muy mal.
B2That job offer smells very fishy to me.
El trato huele a fraude. No confío.
C1The deal smells like fraud. I don't trust it.
Algo huele a podrido en este plan.
B2Something smells rotten in this plan.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: oler
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'oler' to mean 'to suspect something is wrong'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word 'oler' comes from the Latin verb *olēre*, which simply meant 'to emit a smell' or 'to smell.' The Latin root is the reason why many forms of the verb are regular (like 'olimos'). The irregularity (o->ue) developed later in Spanish.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'oler' start with a silent 'h' in some forms but not others?
This is a special spelling rule! The verb stem changes from 'o' to 'ue' in stressed forms (like *huelo*). Spanish spelling rules require adding a silent 'h' at the beginning of a word if it starts with the sound 'ue' (like *huevo* or *hielo*). This ensures the vowel sound is clear.
How do I know if 'oler' means 'to perceive a smell' or 'to sniff'?
If it is used with the preposition 'a' ('huele a café'), it usually means the passive perception (Definition 1). If it takes a direct object and describes an action performed by a person or animal ('olimos el perfume'), it means active sniffing (Definition 2).