How to Say "clear" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “clear” is “claro” — use 'claro' when referring to something that is transparent, like water or the sky, or when something is easy to understand..
claro
/KLAH-roh//ˈkla.ɾo/
Examples
El cielo está muy claro hoy.
The sky is very clear today.
El agua del río está muy clara.
The river water is very clear.
Necesitamos una habitación más clara para leer.
We need a brighter room to read.
Me gusta el color azul claro.
I like the color light blue.
Matching the Noun
'Claro' is like a chameleon. It changes to match the thing it's describing. For a masculine thing, use 'claro' (cielo claro). For a feminine thing, use 'clara' (agua clara).
Using 'Ser' vs. 'Estar'
Use 'ser' for things that are naturally clear ('La idea es clara'). Use 'estar' when something becomes clear or is clear at a specific moment ('Ahora todo está claro').
despejado
/des-pe-HA-do//des.peˈxa.ðo/
Examples
El cielo está despejado y soleado.
The sky is clear and sunny.
El cielo está completamente despejado hoy, ¡qué maravilla!
The sky is completely clear today, what a marvel!
Si el pronóstico es despejado, iremos a la montaña.
If the forecast is clear, we will go to the mountain.
Después de la limpieza, el pasillo quedó completamente despejado.
After the cleaning, the hallway was completely unobstructed (clear).
Adjective Agreement
Like most Spanish adjectives, 'despejado' must match the thing it describes in gender and number: 'el cielo está despejado' (masculine singular) but 'las mañanas están despejadas' (feminine plural).
Origin as a Past Participle
'Despejado' is the past participle of the verb 'despejar' (to clear or to remove). When used as an adjective, it means 'having been cleared'.
Using SER instead of ESTAR
Mistake: “El cielo es despejado.”
Correction: El cielo está despejado. We use 'estar' when describing temporary conditions, like the weather right now.
quitar
kee-TAHR/kiˈtaɾ/
Examples
Por favor, quita los platos de la mesa.
Please, clear the plates from the table.
Quita los libros de la mesa, por favor.
Remove the books from the table, please.
¿Puedes quitar la tapa de esta botella?
Can you take the lid off this bottle?
La pintura es difícil de quitar.
The paint is difficult to remove.
Direct Removal
Use 'quitar' when you are the one performing the action of removing an object from a place.
Confusing 'Quitar' and 'Sacar'
Mistake: “Using 'sacar' when referring to taking an item off a surface (e.g., *Saca los zapatos de la cama*).”
Correction: Use 'quitar' for removing something *from a surface* or *detaching* something. Use 'sacar' for removing something *from the inside* (like pulling a key out of a lock).
borrar
boh-RRAHR/boˈraɾ/
Examples
Borra tu historial de navegación.
Clear your browsing history.
Borra todas las fotos antiguas de tu teléfono para liberar espacio.
Delete all the old photos from your phone to free up space.
Intenté borrar su número de mi memoria, pero fue imposible.
I tried to wipe his number from my memory, but it was impossible.
Si borras la caché, la aplicación debería funcionar mejor.
If you clear the cache, the application should work better.
Reflexive Use: Borrarse
When used with 'se' (borrarse), it often means 'to disappear' or 'to fade away' by itself: 'La mancha se borró con el tiempo' (The stain faded away over time).
Using 'borrar' for 'forget'
Mistake: “No puedo borrar el nombre.”
Correction: While 'borrar' can mean 'wipe out a memory,' for simple forgetting, use 'olvidar': 'No puedo olvidar el nombre' (I can't forget the name).
evidente
eh-vee-DEHN-teh/eβiˈðente/
Examples
Era evidente que no entendía.
It was clear (evident) that he didn't understand.
El error fue evidente, no sé cómo no lo vimos antes.
The mistake was evident, I don't know how we didn't see it before.
Es evidente que necesitas descansar. Te ves muy cansado.
It's obvious that you need to rest. You look very tired.
Las pruebas evidentes confirmaron su inocencia.
The clear evidence confirmed his innocence.
Gender Consistency
Since 'evidente' ends in -e, it is one of those helpful adjectives that stays the same whether the noun is masculine or feminine (e.g., 'el error evidente' and 'la verdad evidente').
Making it Plural
To talk about more than one thing, simply add an -s: 'evidente' becomes 'evidentes' (e.g., 'las razones evidentes').
Common Structure
You will frequently see this word used in the impersonal form 'Es evidente que...' (It is obvious that...), which is a great way to start sentences when stating a clear fact.
Adjective vs. Adverb
Mistake: “Using 'evidente' instead of 'evidentemente' when modifying a verb (e.g., *'Ella habló evidente'*).”
Correction: Use the adverb form 'evidentemente' when you mean 'obviously' or 'clearly' (e.g., 'Ella habló evidentemente molesta').
obvio
OH-byoh/ˈoβjo/
Examples
Es obvio que necesitas ayuda.
It's clear (obvious) that you need help.
Era obvio que no estaban prestando atención en la clase.
It was obvious that they weren't paying attention in class.
La respuesta es obvia: tienes que estudiar más.
The answer is obvious: you have to study more.
Sus intenciones eran obvias para todos.
His intentions were clear to everyone.
Adjective Agreement
Since 'obvio' is an adjective, make sure its ending matches the thing it describes. Use 'obvio' (masculine singular), 'obvia' (feminine singular), 'obvios' (masculine plural), or 'obvias' (feminine plural).
The 'Es obvio que' Rule
When you use the common phrase 'Es obvio que...' (It is obvious that...), the verb that follows usually stays in the normal, indicative form because you are stating a fact. For example: 'Es obvio que estás cansado' (It is obvious that you are tired).
Forgetting Agreement
Mistake: “La verdad es obvio. (Incorrect)”
Correction: La verdad es obvia. (Correct). Since 'verdad' (truth) is feminine, the adjective must be 'obvia'.
limpio
LIM-pyoh/ˈlimpjo/
Examples
El atleta tiene un historial limpio.
The athlete has a clear record.
Él tiene un historial limpio.
He has a clean record.
Fue un juego limpio y sin trampas.
It was a fair game without cheating.
Ella quiere tener su conciencia limpia.
She wants to have a clear conscience.
líquido
Examples
El salario líquido es lo que recibes en tu cuenta.
The net (clear) salary is what you receive in your account.
General vs. Specific Meanings
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.