probando
“probando” means “trying” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
trying, testing
Also: sampling
📝 In Action
Estamos probando el nuevo sistema operativo antes de lanzarlo.
A2We are testing the new operating system before launching it.
¿Qué estás probando? ¿Funciona?
A1What are you trying? Does it work?
tasting
Also: trying out (a recipe)
📝 In Action
La chef está probando la salsa para ver si necesita más sal.
A1The chef is tasting the sauce to see if it needs more salt.
Estuvimos probando vinos de la región toda la tarde.
B1We were tasting wines from the region all afternoon.
trying on
📝 In Action
Elena está probándose el vestido rojo en el vestidor.
A2Elena is trying on the red dress in the fitting room.
El niño sigue probando diferentes tallas de zapatos.
A2The boy keeps trying on different shoe sizes.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: probando
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'probando' to mean 'tasting'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The root verb 'probar' comes from the Latin word 'probare,' meaning 'to test, try, or approve.' It shares its ancient origins with the English words 'prove' and 'probe,' maintaining the core idea of checking something thoroughly.
First recorded: 13th century (as 'probar')
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'probando' the same as 'intentando'?
'Probando' (from 'probar') means 'testing,' 'tasting,' or 'trying on.' 'Intentando' (from 'intentar') means 'attempting' an action. If you are trying to open a door, use 'intentando.' If you are trying a new food, use 'probando.'
Why does the gerund 'probando' not have the vowel change (o to ue) that 'probar' has in the present tense?
The gerund form is very stable and regular. While the present tense of 'probar' changes to 'pruebo' (I try), the continuous action form ('probando') keeps the original 'o' sound. This is true for all stem-changing verbs in the gerund.