silbar
“silbar” means “to whistle” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to whistle
Also: to play a whistle
📝 In Action
Mi abuelo siempre silba una melodía cuando cocina.
A2My grandfather always whistles a tune when he cooks.
Si necesitas ayuda, solo tienes que silbar.
B1If you need help, you just have to whistle.
El entrenador silbó para detener el juego.
B1The coach blew his whistle to stop the game.
to boo
Also: to hiss
📝 In Action
El público silbó al equipo después de perder el partido.
B1The crowd booed the team after losing the match.
Los manifestantes silbaron al político durante su discurso.
B2The protesters hissed at the politician during his speech.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: silbar
Question 1 of 3
If a Spanish crowd starts to 'silbar' during a soccer game, what are they likely doing?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'sibilare', which was an imitation of the sound made when whistling or hissing.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'silbar' and 'chiflar' the same thing?
Yes, they both mean 'to whistle'. 'Chiflar' is more informal and very common in Mexico and other parts of Latin America.
Can 'silbar' be used for the wind?
Yes! Just like in English, you can say 'el viento silba' to describe the whistling sound of the wind through trees or windows.
Does 'silbar' have any irregular forms?
No, it is a completely regular -ar verb in all tenses.