How to Say "to digest" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to digest” is “digerir” — use 'digerir' when talking about the physical process of breaking down food in your stomach and intestines..
digerir
/dee-heh-reer//dixeˈɾiɾ/
Examples
Como despacio para digerir bien la comida.
I eat slowly to digest the food well.
Las manzanas son muy fáciles de digerir.
Apples are very easy to digest.
Mi cuerpo no puede digerir bien la leche.
My body cannot digest milk well.
The 'E' to 'IE' and 'I' Swap
This verb is a bit of a shapeshifter. In the present tense, the 'e' becomes 'ie' (digiero), but in the past or the -ing form, it can shrink to just an 'i' (digirió, digiriendo).
Gerund Change
When you want to say 'digesting,' the 'e' in the middle always changes to 'i': digiriendo.
Forgetting the 'i' in the past
Mistake: “Él digerió la comida.”
Correction: Él digirió la comida. (When talking about 'he' or 'they' in the past, that middle 'e' must change to 'i'.)
asimilar
/ah-see-mee-lar//asimiˈlaɾ/
Examples
El cuerpo no asimila bien las vitaminas sin agua.
The body doesn't absorb vitamins well without water.
Muchos inmigrantes intentan asimilar las costumbres locales.
Many immigrants try to assimilate local customs.
Es importante asimilarse a la nueva cultura.
It is important to integrate oneself into the new culture.
The Reflexive Form
When talking about people fitting into a group, we often add 'se' (asimilarse) to show the action is being done to oneself.
Food vs. Information
Related Translations
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