How to Say "identify" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “identify” is “reconocer” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
English → SpanishA2
verbA2
to be able to name or confirm what something is
Examples
No te reconocí con el pelo corto.
I didn't recognize you with short hair.
¿Reconoces esta canción? Es muy vieja.
Do you recognize this song? It's very old.
El perro reconoció el olor de su dueño inmediatamente.
The dog recognized its owner's scent immediately.
The 'Yo' Form Exception
In the present tense, the 'yo' form changes its ending from 'c' to 'zc' (reconocer → reconozco). This is a common pattern for verbs ending in -cer or -cir when a vowel precedes the 'c'.
Using the regular form
Mistake: “Yo reconoco mi error.”
Correction: Yo reconozco mi error. (The 'z' is needed to keep the correct sound before the 'o'.)
Related Translations
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