Inklingo

How to Say "glare" in Spanish

English → Spanish

reflejo

re-FLE-horeˈflexo

nounA2general
Use 'reflejo' when 'glare' refers to light that is bouncing off a smooth surface, like seeing your own reflection.
A bright green mountain reflected perfectly in the still blue water of a lake.

Examples

Vi mi reflejo en el espejo del baño.

I saw my reflection in the bathroom mirror.

El reflejo del sol en el agua era muy fuerte.

The sun's reflection on the water was very strong.

Using 'Reflejo' vs 'Reflexión'

Use 'reflejo' for the physical image you see in a mirror. Use 'reflexión' when you mean thinking deeply about a topic.

resplandor

rre-splan-DORresplanˈdoɾ

nounB2general
Use 'resplandor' for a strong, bright light that is difficult to look at, often from the sun or a very bright source.
A small firefly glowing with a soft yellow light in a dark forest.

Examples

El resplandor del sol sobre el mar era casi cegador.

The glare of the sun on the sea was almost blinding.

Vimos un resplandor extraño en el cielo nocturno.

We saw a strange glow in the night sky.

El resplandor de las velas creaba un ambiente romántico.

The radiance of the candles created a romantic atmosphere.

Gender Trick

Most Spanish nouns ending in '-or' are masculine. You'll almost always see this used with 'el' or 'un'.

Describing Light

This word describes the light itself. To talk about the action of shining, you would use the related verb 'resplandecer'.

Small vs. Big Light

Mistake:Using 'resplandor' for a tiny sparkle on a diamond.

Correction: Use 'brillo' for small sparkles; 'resplandor' is usually for more significant, spreading light like a sunset or a fire.

Reflejo vs. Resplandor

Learners often confuse 'reflejo' and 'resplandor'. Remember that 'reflejo' is about light bouncing back, like a mirror image, while 'resplandor' is about the intensity of the light itself.

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