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How to Say "shiver" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “shiver” is “escalofrío” — use this word when referring to the physical sensation of feeling cold, or when experiencing chills due to illness like a fever..

English → Spanish

escalofrío

nounA2general
Use this word when referring to the physical sensation of feeling cold, or when experiencing chills due to illness like a fever.

Examples

Sentí un escalofrío al salir a la lluvia.

I felt a shiver upon going out into the rain.

temblor

/tem-BLOR//temˈbloɾ/

nounB1general
Choose this word when describing the physical act of shaking or trembling, often caused by extreme cold or fear.
A small dog wearing a blue sweater, looking cold with wavy lines around it to show it is shivering.

Examples

Sus manos tenían un ligero temblor por el frío intenso.

His hands had a slight shiver from the intense cold.

Tenía un temblor en las manos por el frío.

I had a shiver in my hands because of the cold.

Se notaba un leve temblor en su voz.

A slight tremble could be noticed in her voice.

El temblor de sus piernas delataba su miedo.

The shaking of his legs gave away his fear.

Possession with body parts

When talking about body parts shaking, we often say 'en las manos' (in the hands) rather than 'en mis manos' (in my hands).

Using it as a verb

Mistake: “Yo temblor mucho.”

Correction: Yo tiemblo mucho. 'Temblor' is the noun (the shake); 'temblar' is the verb (to shake).

Sensation vs. Action

Learners often confuse 'escalofrío' and 'temblor' by using them interchangeably. Remember that 'escalofrío' is more about the internal sensation of cold or illness, while 'temblor' focuses on the visible shaking of the body.

Related Translations

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