How to Say "to reel" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to reel” is “tambalear” — B2 level.
Examples
El boxeador empezó a tambalear después del fuerte golpe.
The boxer began to stagger after the heavy blow.
La mesa se tambalea porque tiene una pata más corta.
The table wobbles because it has one shorter leg.
Después de tres vueltas rápidas, el niño caminaba tambaleando.
After three fast spins, the boy was walking while staggering.
Adding the 'se' for people
When talking about a person losing their balance, Spanish speakers almost always add 'se' to the end (tambalearse). This emphasizes that the person is the one experiencing the action.
Regular Verb Pattern
Good news! This word follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in '-ar', so you don't have to worry about weird spelling changes in different times.
Staggering vs. Falling
Mistake: “Using 'tambalear' when someone has already hit the ground.”
Correction: Use 'tambalear' only for the unsteady movement *before* someone falls. If they fall, use 'caer'.
Related Translations
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