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How to Say "to hallucinate" in Spanish

English → Spanish

alucinar

/ah-loo-thee-NAHR//aluθiˈnaɾ/

verbC1General
Use 'alucinar' when the primary symptom is seeing, hearing, or sensing things that are not actually present, often due to fever, drugs, or mental conditions.
A person looking at a colorful pink elephant floating in the air.

Examples

El paciente empezó a alucinar debido a la fiebre alta.

The patient began to hallucinate due to the high fever.

Literal Action

In this medical sense, the person is the one doing the action directly. 'Él alucina' means 'He is hallucinating.'

delirar

/deh-lee-RAR//deliˈɾaɾ/

verbB2General
Use 'delirar' when referring to speaking or thinking irrationally or nonsensically, which can include hallucinations but also a more general state of confusion or mental disturbance.
A person resting in bed with a cold compress on their forehead, looking slightly dazed and flushed.

Examples

El paciente empezó a delirar por la fiebre alta.

The patient started to become delirious because of the high fever.

No le hagas caso, está delirando por el cansancio.

Don't pay attention to him; he's raving because of exhaustion.

Deliraba con dragones mientras dormía en la clínica.

He was hallucinating about dragons while sleeping in the clinic.

Using 'por' with Delirar

When you want to say why someone is delirious (like fever or love), use the word 'por' followed by the cause.

A Regular Action

This verb follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -ar, so it is very easy to conjugate once you know the basic endings.

Confusing with 'Delete'

Mistake: “Using 'delirar' to mean 'to remove' or 'to delete'.”

Correction: Use 'borrar' or 'eliminar' for deleting. 'Delirar' is only for mental states.

Alucinar vs. Delirar

Learners often confuse 'alucinar' and 'delirar'. While 'alucinar' specifically means to perceive things that aren't there, 'delirar' is broader, encompassing nonsensical speech and irrational thoughts, which may or may not include hallucinations.

Related Translations

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