How to Say "to inform" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to inform” is “informar” — use 'informar' when you are giving factual information or updates to someone in a general context. This is the most common and versatile translation.
Use 'informar' when you are giving factual information or updates to someone in a general context. This is the most common and versatile translation.
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Choose 'notificar' when you are officially informing someone about something specific, often in a more formal or system-generated way, like an alert or an official announcement.
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Use 'enterar' when the focus is on making someone aware of something, often implying they didn't know before, and it can carry a sense of official communication or news.
Learn more →in-for-MARin.forˈmaɾ
Examples
Le informamos que su vuelo ha sido cancelado.
We inform you that your flight has been canceled.
El periodista informó sobre el accidente en vivo.
The journalist reported on the accident live.
Por favor, infórmale a tu jefe de los cambios.
Please, inform your boss of the changes.
Reporting the Topic
When you report what the information is about, you usually use the preposition 'de' or 'sobre': 'Informé al jefe de la situación' (I informed the boss of the situation).
Who Receives the Information
The person receiving the information is the direct object (or sometimes an indirect object pronoun 'le/les' in Spanish), which means they receive the action: 'Informaron a los clientes' (They informed the clients).
Missing Preposition
Mistake: “La noticia informó la crisis.”
Correction: La noticia informó *sobre* la crisis. (The news reported *on* the crisis.) The preposition is necessary before the thing being reported.
no-tee-fee-karnoti.fiˈkaɾ
Examples
La aplicación te notificará cuando recibas un mensaje.
The app will notify you when you receive a message.
Debemos notificar el accidente a la policía de inmediato.
We must report the accident to the police immediately.
El abogado notificó a sus clientes sobre el cambio en el contrato.
The lawyer notified his clients about the change in the contract.
The Spelling 'Shift'
To keep the 'k' sound in the word, the 'c' changes to 'qu' when followed by an 'e'. This happens in the 'yo' form of the past and all 'wishes/commands' forms.
Who are you notifying?
When notifying a person, always use the word 'a' before them. For example: 'Notificar a los padres' (Notify the parents).
Wrong Spelling in Past Tense
Mistake: “Yo notificé el error.”
Correction: Yo notifiqué el error. (Because 'c' before 'e' sounds like an 's' in Spanish, we need 'qu' to keep the hard 'k' sound).
en-teh-RARenteˈɾaɾ
Examples
Le enteramos de su derecho a un abogado.
We informed him of his right to a lawyer.
Es importante enterar al jefe sobre los gastos.
It is important to inform the boss about the expenses.
Action vs. Reception
In this version, you aren't using the 'me' or 'se' words on yourself. Instead, you are doing the action to someone else: 'Enterar a alguien' (To inform someone).
Choosing Between 'informar' and 'notificar'
Learners often confuse 'informar' and 'notificar'. 'Informar' is for general factual sharing, while 'notificar' is typically for official announcements or alerts, like system messages or legal notices. Think of 'notificar' as a more formal, specific alert.
Related Translations
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