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How to Say "to glue" in Spanish

English → Spanish

pegar

peh-GARpeˈɣaɾ

verbA2general
Use 'pegar' when talking about generally sticking things together, especially with common adhesives like glue or tape, or even by hand.
A piece of bright yellow tape firmly sticking a small blue paper square onto a plain wall.

Examples

Necesitas pegamento para pegar las dos piezas de madera.

You need glue to stick the two pieces of wood together.

La etiqueta no pega bien en esta superficie.

The label doesn't stick well on this surface.

Pegué el póster en la pared de mi habitación.

I stuck the poster on my bedroom wall.

Using 'stick' incorrectly

Mistake: “La goma pegó.”

Correction: La goma se pegó. (When the action is happening to the object itself, use the reflexive 'se pegó'.)

adherir

ah-deh-reeraðeˈɾiɾ

verbB2formal
Use 'adherir' when referring to the act of attaching or sticking something, often in a more formal or technical sense, like affixing a stamp or a label.
A colorful sticker being pressed onto a smooth green surface.

Examples

Tienes que adherir el sello en la esquina del sobre.

You have to stick the stamp on the corner of the envelope.

La pintura no se adhiere bien a esta superficie.

The paint doesn't stick well to this surface.

Es necesario adherir las piezas con un pegamento fuerte.

It is necessary to join the pieces with a strong glue.

Vowel Changes

This verb is tricky! In many forms, the 'e' in the middle changes to 'ie' (like 'yo adhiero'). However, in the past tense and the 'ing' form, it changes to just an 'i' (like 'adhirió' or 'adhiriendo').

Using the preposition 'a'

When you want to say what something is sticking TO, you must use the word 'a'. For example: 'se adhiere a la pared' (it sticks to the wall).

Missing the 'a'

Mistake: “Adherir el cartel la puerta.”

Correction: Adherir el cartel a la puerta. You always need 'a' to show the destination of the sticking action.

Choosing between 'pegar' and 'adherir'

Learners often confuse 'pegar' and 'adherir'. Remember that 'pegar' is the more common, everyday term for sticking things with glue or tape. 'Adherir' is generally used for more specific actions like affixing a stamp or a sticker, and can sound a bit more formal.

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