Inklingo

How to Say "to communicate" in Spanish

English → Spanish

comunicarse

/ko-moo-nee-kar-seh//komuniˈkaɾse/

verbA2general
Use 'comunicarse' when referring to the general act of exchanging information, news, or feelings, especially through a specific medium or regularly.
Two friends sitting on a park bench, talking and gesturing warmly to each other.

Examples

Nos comunicamos por mensaje de texto todos los días.

We communicate by text message every day.

Es difícil comunicarse con él cuando está enojado.

It is hard to get through to him when he is angry.

Ella se comunica muy bien en público.

She expresses herself very well in public.

The 'Se' ending

The 'se' at the end means the action is 'shared' or happens between people. You must change it to match the person (me, te, se, nos, os) before the verb.

Spelling Change

In the 'I' form of the past tense, the 'c' changes to 'qu' (comuniqué) to keep the hard 'k' sound.

Missing the pronoun

Mistake: “Yo comunico con mi madre.”

Correction: Yo me comunico con mi madre.

compartir

/kom-par-TEER//kom.paɾˈtiɾ/

verbB1general
Choose 'compartir' when the focus is on sharing something personal, like ideas, experiences, or emotions, with another person or group.
Two people sitting close together, engaged in an intimate conversation, one gesturing expressively while the other listens intently.

Examples

Ella compartió sus miedos más profundos con su mejor amiga.

She shared her deepest fears with her best friend.

Por favor, comparte este artículo interesante en tus redes sociales.

Please, share this interesting article on your social networks.

Me gusta compartir mis ideas sobre el futuro con mis colegas.

I like to share my ideas about the future with my colleagues.

Digital Context

When talking about sharing links or photos online, 'compartir' is the standard verb, just like in English.

General Exchange vs. Personal Sharing

Learners often confuse 'comunicarse' and 'compartir' because both involve connection. Remember, 'comunicarse' is about the *process* of exchanging information, while 'compartir' is about the *act* of giving or revealing something personal.

Related Translations

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