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temblar

tem-BLAHR/temˈblaɾ/

“temblar” means “to shiver” in Spanish (due to cold).

to shiver, to tremble

Also: to quake
VerbA2stem-changing (e to ie) ar
General
A small child wrapped in a thick blue blanket, shivering with visible quivering lines, standing in a snowy landscape.
gerundtemblando
past Participletemblado
infinitivetemblar

📝 In Action

Hace tanto frío que no puedo dejar de temblar.

A2

It's so cold that I can't stop shivering.

Le temblaban las manos al abrir la carta.

B1

His hands were trembling as he opened the letter.

Sentí la tierra temblar durante unos segundos.

B2

I felt the ground quake for a few seconds.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tiritar (to shiver (specifically from cold))
  • estremecerse (to shudder)

Antonyms

  • calmarse (to calm down)
  • quietarse (to become still)

Common Collocations

  • temblar de miedo – to tremble with fear
  • temblar de frío – to shiver with cold
  • hacer temblar – to shake someone up / to make someone tremble

Idioms & Expressions

  • temblar como un flan – to shake like a leaf/jelly

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedestemblaran
yotemblara
tútemblaras
vosotrostemblarais
nosotrostembláramos
él/ella/ustedtemblara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedestiemblen
yotiemble
tútiembles
vosotrostembléis
nosotrostemblemos
él/ella/ustedtiemble

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedestemblaron
yotemblé
tútemblaste
vosotrostemblasteis
nosotrostemblamos
él/ella/ustedtembló

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedestemblaban
yotemblaba
tútemblabas
vosotrostemblabais
nosotrostemblábamos
él/ella/ustedtemblaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedestiemblan
yotiemblo
tútiemblas
vosotrostembláis
nosotrostemblamos
él/ella/ustedtiembla
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "temblar" in Spanish:

to quake→to shiver→to tremble→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: temblar

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I am shivering' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
temblor(tremor / earthquake) — Noun
tembloroso(trembling / shaky) — Adjective
retemblar(to shake violently) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Derived from the Latin word 'tremulare', which also gave us the English word 'tremble'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: tremblerEnglish: tremble

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'temblar' and 'tiritar'?

'Temblar' is general (fear, cold, earthquake), while 'tiritar' specifically means shivering from cold or fever, often with chattering teeth.

Can I use 'temblar' for an earthquake?

Yes! While the noun is usually 'terremoto', the verb 'temblar' or the noun 'temblor' are very common ways to describe the earth shaking.

Is 'temblar' irregular in the past tense?

No. In the past (Preterite), it follows the regular rules for '-ar' verbs: temblé, temblaste, tembló, etc.