Inklingo
← Dictionary

untar

oon-TAHR/unˈtaɾ/

to spread

Also: to smear, to grease
VerbA2regular ar
A wooden knife spreading a thick layer of creamy yellow butter onto a piece of toasted bread.
gerunduntando
past Participleuntado
infinitiveuntar

📝 In Action

Me gusta untar mantequilla en el pan tostado.

A1

I like to spread butter on the toast.

Tienes que untar el molde con aceite antes de hornear.

A2

You have to grease the mold with oil before baking.

No te olvides de untarte crema solar en la espalda.

B1

Don't forget to put sunscreen on your back.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • untar con mantequilla – to spread with butter
  • untar en el pan – to spread on the bread

to bribe

Also: to grease someone's palm
VerbC1regular arslang
Spain & Latin America
A hand secretly passing a stack of green bills to another hand under a wooden table.

📝 In Action

Tuvieron que untar al funcionario para conseguir el permiso.

C1

They had to bribe the official to get the permit.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sobornar (to bribe (standard word))
  • cohechar (to bribe (legal term))

Idioms & Expressions

  • untar la mano – To bribe someone

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesuntaran
yountara
túuntaras
vosotrosuntarais
nosotrosuntáramos
él/ella/usteduntara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesunten
younte
túuntes
vosotrosuntéis
nosotrosuntemos
él/ella/ustedunte

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesuntaron
younté
túuntaste
vosotrosuntasteis
nosotrosuntamos
él/ella/usteduntó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesuntaban
yountaba
túuntabas
vosotrosuntabais
nosotrosuntábamos
él/ella/usteduntaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesuntan
younto
túuntas
vosotrosuntáis
nosotrosuntamos
él/ella/ustedunta
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "untar" in Spanish:

to bribe→to grease→to smear→to spread→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: untar

Question 1 of 3

What is the most common meaning of 'untar' at the breakfast table?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
untado(spread/smeared) — Adjective
untura(ointment/grease) — Noun
untuoso(unctuous/greasy) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'unctare', which means to anoint or smear. This comes from 'unguere' (to smear with oil).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: unctionEnglish: ointment

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'untar' for putting on makeup?

Not really. For makeup, we usually use 'ponerse' or 'aplicarse'. 'Untar' implies a thicker, more spreadable substance like a heavy cream or ointment.

What is the difference between 'untar' and 'extender'?

'Untar' specifically refers to the act of applying a substance to a surface. 'Extender' is more general and just means to spread something out over a larger area.

Is 'untar' a regular verb?

Yes! It follows the standard pattern for all -ar verbs in all tenses, making it very easy to conjugate.