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verbal

ber-BAHL/beɾˈβal/

“verbal” means “verbal” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

verbal

Also: spoken, oral
Adjectivem or fA2
A simple colorful illustration of two people talking with speech bubbles containing small hearts and stars.

📝 In Action

Prefiero un acuerdo verbal que uno escrito.

A2

I prefer a verbal agreement over a written one.

Ella tiene una gran habilidad verbal.

B1

She has great verbal ability.

La comunicación no verbal incluye los gestos.

B2

Non-verbal communication includes gestures.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • comunicación verbal – verbal communication
  • acuerdo verbal – verbal agreement
  • agresión verbal – verbal abuse/attack

Idioms & Expressions

  • de palabra – by word of mouth or a spoken promise

verbal

Adjectivem or fB1
A simple colorful illustration of a person running, jumping, and swimming to show action.

📝 In Action

Tienes que conjugar la forma verbal correctamente.

B1

You have to conjugate the verb form correctly.

El sistema verbal del español es complejo.

B2

The Spanish verb system is complex.

Una perífrasis verbal usa dos verbos juntos.

C1

A verbal periphrasis uses two verbs together.

Word Connections

Antonyms

  • nominal (relating to nouns)

Common Collocations

  • tiempo verbal – verb tense
  • forma verbal – verb form
  • perífrasis verbal – verb phrase

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "verbal" in Spanish:

oral→spoken→verbal→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: verbal

Question 1 of 3

If you have an 'acuerdo verbal' with someone, how was the agreement made?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
verbo(verb) — Noun
verbalizar(to verbalize/express in words) — Verb
verbalmente(verbally) — Adverb
adverbio(adverb) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'verbalis', which comes from 'verbum', meaning simply 'word'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: verbalFrench: verbalPortuguese: verbal

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'verbal' change for gender?

No. It is a 'gender-neutral' adjective in Spanish, meaning it remains 'verbal' whether you are describing a masculine noun (el tiempo verbal) or a feminine noun (la prueba verbal).

Is 'verbal' the same as 'oral'?

Mostly, yes. In many contexts like 'examen oral' or 'examen verbal', they are interchangeable. However, 'verbal' is also used specifically for grammar (verb forms), where 'oral' would not make sense.

How do you say 'verbally'?

You can use the adverb 'verbalmente' or the common phrase 'de palabra'.