variar
“variar” means “to change” in Spanish (making something different).
to change, to vary
Also: to alter, to diversify
📝 In Action
Tienes que variar tu dieta para estar sano.
A2You have to vary your diet to be healthy.
Los precios varían según la temporada.
B1Prices vary depending on the season.
Ella decidió variar el diseño original del vestido.
B2She decided to alter the original design of the dress.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: variar
Question 1 of 3
Which form is correct for 'I vary'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'variare', which means to make something diverse or to change the appearance of something.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'variar' the same as 'cambiar'?
They are close, but 'cambiar' is more general (to replace one thing with another), while 'variar' often implies making modifications to something that already exists or describing a natural range of differences.
Why does 'variar' have so many accents in the present tense?
The accent mark is used to break the vowel combination. Without it, the 'ia' would be one quick sound. The accent forces you to emphasize the 'i', keeping the root of the word recognizable.
Can 'variar' be used for people's moods?
Yes! You can say 'Su humor varía mucho' (His mood varies a lot).