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recibe

reh-SEE-behreˈθiβe

receives, gets

Also: receive!, obtains
VerbA1regular ir
A smiling child receives a brightly wrapped present being handed to them by unseen hands.
infinitiverecibir
gerundrecibiendo
past Participlerecibido

📝 In Action

Mi hermano nunca recibe mis mensajes de texto.

A1

My brother never receives my text messages.

¿Usted recibe muchos correos electrónicos del trabajo?

A2

Do you (formal) receive many emails from work?

¡Recibe este regalo como un símbolo de nuestra amistad!

B1

Receive this gift as a symbol of our friendship!

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • recibe una llamada – receives a call
  • recibe la cuenta – receives the bill

suffers, undergoes

Also: takes
VerbB1regular ir
A small, simple wooden rowboat floating on blue water has a clear, visible crack running down its side, depicting damage.
infinitiverecibir
gerundrecibiendo
past Participlerecibido

📝 In Action

El boxeador recibe un golpe fuerte en el estómago.

B1

The boxer takes a strong punch to the stomach.

La propuesta recibe muchas críticas de la prensa.

B2

The proposal receives a lot of criticism from the press.

Esta parte del muro recibe todo el impacto del viento.

B2

This part of the wall takes the full impact of the wind.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • recibe un impacto – takes an impact
  • recibe daños – suffers damage

welcomes, hosts

Also: entertains
VerbB2regular ir
A person stands in an open doorway, smiling and extending an arm in a warm welcoming gesture toward a visitor.
infinitiverecibir
gerundrecibiendo
past Participlerecibido

📝 In Action

La empresa recibe a sus clientes en una sala privada.

B2

The company welcomes its clients in a private room.

Mi familia siempre recibe a los viajeros con comida y café.

B2

My family always hosts travelers with food and coffee.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • recibe invitados – receives guests
  • recibe a la gente – welcomes people

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedrecibe
yorecibo
túrecibes
ellos/ellas/ustedesreciben
nosotrosrecibimos
vosotrosrecibís

imperfect

él/ella/ustedrecibía
yorecibía
túrecibías
ellos/ellas/ustedesrecibían
nosotrosrecibíamos
vosotrosrecibíais

preterite

él/ella/ustedrecibió
yorecibí
túrecibiste
ellos/ellas/ustedesrecibieron
nosotrosrecibimos
vosotrosrecibisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedreciba
yoreciba
túrecibas
ellos/ellas/ustedesreciban
nosotrosrecibamos
vosotrosrecibáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedrecibiera/recibiese
yorecibiera/recibiese
túrecibieras/recibieses
ellos/ellas/ustedesrecibieran/recibiesen
nosotrosrecibiéramos/recibiésemos
vosotrosrecibierais/recibieseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: recibe

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'recibe' to mean 'to suffer or experience'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
recibir(to receive (infinitive)) — Verb
la recepción(reception (noun)) — Noun
el recibo(receipt) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin verb *recipere*, meaning 'to take back' or 'to take into one's possession.' It has been used in Spanish since the Middle Ages and retains its core meaning of acquiring something given to you.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: ricevereFrench: recevoir

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'recibe' irregular?

No, 'recibir' is a regular -ir verb in all its conjugations, including 'recibe.' You can rely on the standard patterns for all tenses.

What is the difference between 'recibe' and 'reciba'?

'Recibe' is the most common form, used when talking about 'he/she/it' or the informal command 'you.' 'Reciba' is a special verb form (the subjunctive) used for formal commands ('Usted') or expressing wishes, doubts, or necessity.