refiere
/reh-FYEH-reh/
refers to
The arrow shows how the book actively refers to the apple.
refiere(Verb)
refers to
?as in 'it refers to...'
,relates to
?as in 'it has a bearing on...'
means
?explaining a concept
📝 In Action
La pregunta se refiere al capítulo tres del libro.
A2The question refers to chapter three of the book.
Mi jefe siempre se refiere a mí como 'el experto'.
B1My boss always refers to me as 'the expert'.
¿A qué se refiere exactamente cuando dice eso?
B1What exactly does he/she mean when saying that?
💡 Grammar Points
The Essential 'Se' and 'A'
When using 'refiere' to mean 'to refer to' or 'to be about,' it is almost always reflexive (se refiere) and must be followed by the preposition 'a'. Think of it as 'it refers itself to...'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'A'
Mistake: "El informe se refiere el problema."
Correction: El informe se refiere AL problema. (The reflexive verb always needs 'a' before the topic.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Asking for Clarification
Use '¿A qué se refiere?' (What are you referring to?) frequently in conversation when you need someone to explain what they mean.
The figure reports the story using the microphone.
refiere(Verb)
reports
?as in 'he reports a story'
,recounts
?telling events
mentions
?listing facts
📝 In Action
El testigo refiere los hechos tal como los vio, sin omisiones.
B2The witness reports the facts just as he saw them, without omissions.
La crónica refiere que el rey estaba enfermo.
C1The chronicle recounts that the king was ill.
💡 Grammar Points
Non-Reflexive Use
When 'refiere' is used without the 'se' (like 'él refiere'), it means 'he/she reports' or 'tells.' This is more direct and less common than the reflexive form.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Context
Save this meaning of 'refiere' for written documents, news reports, or very formal speech. In everyday conversation, use 'cuenta' (tells) or 'dice' (says) instead.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: refiere
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses the most common meaning of 'refiere' (referring to a topic)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'refiere' the same as 'se refiere'?
They are the same verb form, but they function differently. 'Refiere' (without 'se') means 'he/she reports' (formal). 'Se refiere' (with 'se') means 'he/she refers to' or 'it is about' (very common).
How do I know when 'referir' changes its stem?
The stem changes from 'e' to 'ie' whenever the stress falls on that syllable. This happens in most present tense conjugations (refIERO, refIEREs, refIERE, refIEREN), but not in the 'nosotros' or 'vosotros' forms (referimos, referís).