relatar
“relatar” means “to tell” in Spanish (narrating a story or event).
to tell
Also: to recount, to narrate
📝 In Action
El abuelo nos relató sus aventuras en el mar.
A2Grandpa told us about his adventures at sea.
El periodista relató los hechos con mucha precisión.
B1The journalist recounted the facts with great precision.
Es imposible relatar todo lo que pasó en una sola tarde.
B2It's impossible to narrate everything that happened in a single afternoon.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: relatar
Question 1 of 3
Which word is a more informal version of 'relatar'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'relatare', which originally meant 'to bring back'—specifically to bring back news or information to others.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'relatar' a common word?
It is moderately common. You will hear it in news reports or see it in books more often than you will hear it in a casual coffee shop conversation.
What is the difference between 'relatar' and 'narrar'?
They are very close synonyms. 'Narrar' is often used for literature and artistic storytelling, while 'relatar' is often used for describing real-life events or reports.
How do you say 'short story' using this word?
The noun form 'relato' is the word for 'short story' or 'tale'.