How to Say "to impress" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to impress” is “impresionar” — use this when you want to make someone feel admiration or respect, often in a social or professional context.
impresionar
eem-preh-syoh-nahrimpɾesjoˈnaɾ
Examples
Ella quiere impresionar a sus nuevos jefes.
She wants to impress her new bosses.
Me impresionó mucho tu habilidad con la guitarra.
I was very impressed by your skill with the guitar.
Using 'a' with People
When you impress a specific person, you must use the word 'a' before their name or description (e.g., 'impresionar a María').
Don't confuse with 'presionar'
Mistake: “Using 'impresionar' when you mean 'to pressure'.”
Correction: Use 'presionar' for physical or social pressure; 'impresionar' is only for mental/emotional impact.
impactar
eem-pahk-TAHRim.pakˈtaɾ
Examples
Su voz me impactó desde el primer momento.
Her voice impressed me from the first moment.
La noticia del accidente impactó a toda la comunidad.
The news of the accident shocked the whole community.
Me impactó mucho ver cómo vivían esas personas.
It really shocked me to see how those people lived.
The 'Personal A'
When 'impactar' affects a person emotionally, you must use 'a' before the person. Example: 'La noticia impactó a María'.
Missing the 'a'
Mistake: “Impactó mi madre.”
Correction: Impactó a mi madre. We need the 'a' because the mother is a person receiving the emotional shock.
deslumbrar
des-loom-BRARdeslumˈbɾaɾ
Examples
Ella deslumbra a todo el mundo con su inteligencia.
She dazzles everyone with her intelligence.
El joven pianista deslumbró al público con su talento.
The young pianist dazzled the audience with his talent.
No te dejes deslumbrar por el dinero y la fama.
Don't let yourself be dazzled by money and fame.
Deslumbrar and people
When 'deslumbrar' affects a specific person, you usually use the 'personal a': 'Deslumbró a sus padres'.
Overusing 'impresionar'
Mistake: “Using 'impresionar' for everything.”
Correction: Use 'deslumbrar' when the person is so talented or beautiful it feels like you've been 'blinded' by their brilliance.
Impresionar vs. Impactar
Related Translations
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