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refrescar

reh-frehs-KAHR/refresˈkar/

“refrescar” means “to cool down” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to cool down

Also: to freshen up, to cool off
VerbA2regular ar
A glass of water with ice cubes and a fresh mint leaf on a bright table.
gerundrefrescando
past Participlerefrescado
infinitiverefrescar

📝 In Action

La lluvia ayudó a refrescar el ambiente.

A2

The rain helped to cool down the atmosphere.

Quiero refrescarme en la piscina.

A2

I want to cool off in the pool.

Puse la sandía en el refrigerador para refrescarla.

B1

I put the watermelon in the fridge to cool it down.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • enfriar (to chill)
  • ventilar (to air out)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • refrescar el aire – to cool down the air
  • refrescar la garganta – to soothe/cool one's throat

to refresh

Also: to brush up on
VerbB1regular ar
A person splashing cool water on their face from a ceramic bowl.
gerundrefrescando
past Participlerefrescado
infinitiverefrescar

📝 In Action

Necesito refrescar mi memoria antes del examen.

B1

I need to refresh my memory before the exam.

Refresca la página web para ver los cambios.

A2

Refresh the webpage to see the changes.

Voy a refrescar mis conocimientos de inglés este verano.

B2

I'm going to brush up on my English knowledge this summer.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • refrescar la memoria – to refresh one's memory
  • refrescar la pantalla – to refresh the screen

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesrefrescaran
yorefrescara
túrefrescaras
vosotrosrefrescarais
nosotrosrefrescáramos
él/ella/ustedrefrescara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesrefresquen
yorefresque
túrefresques
vosotrosrefresquéis
nosotrosrefresquemos
él/ella/ustedrefresque

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesrefrescaron
yorefresqué
túrefrescaste
vosotrosrefrescasteis
nosotrosrefrescamos
él/ella/ustedrefrescó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesrefrescaban
yorefrescaba
túrefrescabas
vosotrosrefrescabais
nosotrosrefrescábamos
él/ella/ustedrefrescaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesrefrescan
yorefresco
túrefrescas
vosotrosrefrescáis
nosotrosrefrescamos
él/ella/ustedrefresca
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "refrescar" in Spanish:

to refresh→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: refrescar

Question 1 of 3

If you are too hot and want to jump in a pool, you would say:

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
fresco(fresh/cool) — Adjective
refresco(soft drink/soda) — Noun
frescura(freshness) — Noun
refrescante(refreshing) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the prefix 're-' (again) combined with 'fresco' (fresh), which comes from the Germanic word 'frisk'. It literally means to 'make fresh again'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: refreshFrench: rafraîchir

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'refresco' mean the same as 'refrescar'?

No. 'Refrescar' is the action (to cool/refresh), while 'un refresco' is a noun meaning a soda or soft drink.

Can I use 'refrescar' for food?

Yes! You can 'refrescar' a soup that is too hot by adding a bit of cold water or simply letting it sit in a cool place.

Is 'refrescar' always about temperature?

Not always. As we've seen, it can also refer to technology (webpages) or mental review (memory/skills).