tranquilízate
trahn-kee-LEE-sah-teh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¡Estás muy nervioso! Respira hondo y tranquilízate.
A2You are very nervous! Take a deep breath and calm down.
No te preocupes por el examen, tranquilízate, todo saldrá bien.
B1Don't worry about the exam, relax, everything will turn out fine.
¡Tranquilízate! El autobús viene en cinco minutos, no vamos a llegar tarde.
A2Calm down! The bus is coming in five minutes, we are not going to be late.
💡 Grammar Points
A Command for 'You' (Informal)
This word is a direct instruction for the informal 'you' (tú). It tells one person to perform the action. If you were speaking to someone formally (usted), you would say 'tranquilícese'.
The Attached Pronoun
The 'te' at the end means 'yourself.' When you give a positive command in Spanish, the word that tells who receives the action always sticks directly onto the end of the verb.
The Crucial Accent Mark
The accent over the 'í' is essential! It forces the stress back onto that syllable (trahn-kee-LEE-sah-teh). Without the accent, the stress would wrongly fall on the 'a' (tranquilizate), which sounds incorrect.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Accent
Mistake: "Writing 'tranquilizate' instead of 'tranquilízate'."
Correction: Always put the accent on the third-to-last vowel ('í') when attaching 'te' to the command form of an -ar verb. This keeps the original sound of the command.
⭐ Usage Tips
The Reflexive Nature
Remember the base verb is 'tranquilizarse' (to calm oneself). This is why the 'te' is necessary; you are telling the person to calm their own self.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: tranquilízate
Question 1 of 2
If you wanted to tell your boss (whom you address using Usted) to calm down, which word would you use?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'tranquilízate' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is needed because when we attach the pronoun 'te' to the end of the command, the word gets longer. Spanish rules require us to add the accent on the third-to-last syllable to keep the original, natural sound of the verb command.
Is 'tranquilízate' formal or informal?
It is informal, used when speaking to friends, children, or anyone you address using 'tú'. If you need to be polite or formal, use 'tranquilícese'.