Inklingo

How to Say "frees" in Spanish

English → Spanish

libera

/lee-BEH-rah//liˈbeɾa/

verbA2general
Use 'libera' when the subject is actively setting something or someone free, often from confinement or restriction.
A pair of hands opening the door of a small wooden cage to let a bright blue bird fly out into a sunny sky.

Examples

Ella libera al pájaro de la jaula.

She frees the bird from the cage.

¡Libera a los prisioneros ahora!

Free the prisoners now!

El nuevo software libera espacio en el disco duro.

The new software frees up space on the hard drive.

One Word, Two Jobs

'Libera' can be a statement ('He frees') or a command ('Free it!'). You can tell which one it is by the tone of voice or if there are exclamation marks.

Libera vs. Libre

Mistake: “Saying 'Él es libera' to mean 'He is free.'”

Correction: Use 'Él es libre.' 'Libera' is an action (a verb), while 'libre' is a description (an adjective).

libra

/lee-brah//ˈli.βɾa/

verbB1general
Use 'libra' when the subject is escaping from or getting out of a difficult situation, obligation, or punishment.
A small bird flying out of an open golden cage.

Examples

Él se libra de la multa por un error del policía.

He gets out of the fine because of a police error.

El ejército libra una batalla difícil.

The army fights a difficult battle.

Liberar vs. Librarse

The most common mistake is using 'libera' when you mean 'gets out of' or 'escapes from'. Remember that 'libera' implies an active release by the subject, while 'se libra' indicates the subject is escaping a negative situation.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.