How to Say "to blur" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to blur” is “desvanecer” — use 'desvanecer' when something gradually fades or becomes indistinct, like smoke disappearing or colors blending softly..
desvanecer
/des-bah-neh-SEHR//desβaneˈser/
Examples
El recuerdo de su rostro se desvaneció con el tiempo.
The memory of his face blurred with time.
El humo se desvaneció lentamente en el aire.
The smoke faded slowly into the air.
Tus palabras desvanecieron todas mis dudas.
Your words dispelled all my doubts.
Con el tiempo, sus esperanzas se desvanecieron.
Over time, their hopes vanished.
The 'ZC' Change
For this verb, when you talk about yourself in the present ('yo'), the 'c' turns into 'zc' (desvanezco). This also happens in all 'wishes and commands' forms (subjunctive).
Using 'Se' for Fading
When an object fades away on its own (like smoke or a dream), you must use the reflexive form 'desvanecerse'.
Missing the 'Se'
Mistake: “El color desvaneció.”
Correction: El color SE desvaneció. (In Spanish, if the color fades by itself, you need the 'se' to show the action is happening to the subject.)
esfumar
es-foo-MAHR/esfuˈmaɾ/
Examples
El artista usó un paño para esfumar los trazos del lápiz.
The artist used a cloth to blur the pencil strokes.
Debes esfumar los bordes del dibujo.
You should blur the edges of the drawing.
El artista esfumó el color azul con el blanco.
The artist shaded the blue color into the white.
Direct Action
In this artistic sense, you don't usually use 'se'. You are doing the action directly to an object, like a drawing.
velar
/beh-lar//beˈlaɾ/
Examples
La lluvia espesa veló el paisaje exterior.
The heavy rain blurred the view outside.
La niebla veló la cima de la montaña.
The fog obscured the mountain peak.
Si abres la cámara ahora, se va a velar el carrete.
If you open the camera now, the film will be ruined (fogged).
Ella veló su tristeza con una sonrisa.
She veiled her sadness with a smile.
Figurative use
Just like in English, 'velar' can be used figuratively to say someone is hiding their emotions or the truth.
Confusing with 'Revelar'
Mistake: “Saying 'velar' when you mean to reveal a secret.”
Correction: Say 'revelar' for secrets; 'velar' is the opposite—to hide or cover.
Blurring vs. Obscuring
Related Translations
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