Inklingo

How to Say "cry" in Spanish

English → Spanish

llorar

yoh-RAHR (The 'll' sounds like the 'y' in 'yes' in most of Latin America, or the 'l-y' blend in 'million' in Spain.)/ʝoˈɾaɾ/

verbA1
Use 'llorar' when you mean the act of shedding tears, typically due to sadness, pain, or strong emotion.
A young child sitting and crying, with large blue tears visibly rolling down their face.

Examples

El niño lloró cuando se cayó y se lastimó la rodilla.

The child cried when he fell and hurt his knee.

El bebé empezó a llorar porque tenía hambre.

The baby started to cry because he was hungry.

Lloramos de alegría cuando vimos que estaba bien.

We cried tears of joy when we saw that he was okay.

No llores por cosas pequeñas; sé fuerte.

Don't cry over small things; be strong.

Simple Regular Verb

Llorar is a regular verb, meaning its endings follow the standard, predictable pattern for all verbs that end in -ar. Once you learn the pattern for one, you know them all!

grito

/gree-toh//ˈɡrito/

nounA1
Use 'grito' when referring to a sudden, loud vocal sound, such as a shout, scream, or yell, often expressing surprise, fear, or excitement.
A colorful storybook illustration of a young child standing outside, mouth wide open, emitting large, visible sound wave lines to symbolize a loud yell.

Examples

Un grito repentino interrumpió el silencio de la noche.

A sudden cry interrupted the silence of the night.

Escuchamos un grito de auxilio desde el bosque.

We heard a cry for help from the woods.

El grito de gol del público fue ensordecedor.

The crowd's shout (yell) of 'goal' was deafening.

Con un grito de alegría, abrazó a su madre.

With a shout of joy, he hugged his mother.

Using 'Dar'

To express the action of making a shout, Spanish speakers usually use the verb 'dar' (to give) before 'grito': 'Ella dio un grito' (She gave a shout).

Confusing Noun and Verb

Mistake: “Using 'grito' when you mean the action 'to shout' (gritar).”

Correction: Remember 'grito' is the sound itself (the noun). If you want to say 'I shout,' you use the verb form: 'Yo grito' (I shout).

Confusing Shouts with Tears

Learners often confuse 'grito' (a shout or scream) with 'llorar' (to weep). Remember that 'llorar' is always about shedding tears, while 'grito' is about making a loud vocal noise, not necessarily involving tears.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.