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vislumbrar

bees-loom-BRAR/bis.lumˈbɾaɾ/

“vislumbrar” means “to glimpse” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to glimpse, to make out

Also: to discern
VerbB2regular arformal
A small deer partially visible through thick forest mist and tall green trees.
gerundvislumbrando
past Participlevislumbrado
infinitivevislumbrar

📝 In Action

A través de la niebla, pude vislumbrar la silueta de un barco.

B1

Through the fog, I could make out the silhouette of a ship.

Desde la cima, se vislumbran los pequeños pueblos del valle.

B2

From the peak, you can catch a glimpse of the small villages in the valley.

Apenas logré vislumbrar su rostro antes de que se fuera.

C1

I barely managed to catch a glimpse of his face before he left.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • divisar (to spot from a distance)
  • avistar (to sight)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • vislumbrar una silueta – to make out a silhouette
  • apenas vislumbrar – to barely glimpse

to foresee, to suspect

Also: to hint at
VerbC1regular arformal
A small sprout growing in the soil with a faint, glowing silhouette of a large leafy tree surrounding it.

📝 In Action

Ya se empieza a vislumbrar una solución al conflicto.

B2

A solution to the conflict is already starting to be foreseen.

Vislumbro un futuro lleno de oportunidades para ti.

C1

I foresee a future full of opportunities for you.

En sus palabras se vislumbraba un profundo arrepentimiento.

C2

In his words, one could sense a deep regret.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • conjeturar (to conjecture/guess)
  • prever (to foresee)

Common Collocations

  • vislumbrar el éxito – to foresee success
  • vislumbrar una salida – to see a way out

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesvislumbraran
yovislumbrara
túvislumbraras
vosotrosvislumbrarais
nosotrosvislumbráramos
él/ella/ustedvislumbrara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesvislumbren
yovislumbre
túvislumbres
vosotrosvislumbréis
nosotrosvislumbremos
él/ella/ustedvislumbre

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesvislumbraron
yovislumbré
túvislumbraste
vosotrosvislumbrasteis
nosotrosvislumbramos
él/ella/ustedvislumbró

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesvislumbraban
yovislumbraba
túvislumbrabas
vosotrosvislumbrabais
nosotrosvislumbrábamos
él/ella/ustedvislumbraba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesvislumbran
yovislumbro
túvislumbras
vosotrosvislumbráis
nosotrosvislumbramos
él/ella/ustedvislumbra
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "vislumbrar" in Spanish:

to discern→to foresee→to glimpse→to suspect→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: vislumbrar

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the best context to use 'vislumbrar'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
vislumbre(glimmer/glimpse) — Noun
luz(light) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Formed from the prefix 'vis-' (meaning 'half' or 'imperfectly') and 'lumbre' (from the Latin 'lumen', meaning 'light'). It literally means to see by a faint light.

First recorded: 16th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: vislumbrar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'vislumbrar' used in daily conversation?

Not usually. It is a bit formal. In daily life, people usually just say 'ver' or 'alcanzar a ver'.

Does it have a irregular forms?

No, it is a perfectly regular -ar verb. You can conjugate it just like 'hablar'.

What is the difference between 'vislumbrar' and 'divisar'?

They are very similar. 'Divisar' usually implies seeing something from a long distance, while 'vislumbrar' focuses more on the fact that the object is not clearly visible (due to light, fog, or complexity).