How to Say "to satisfy" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to satisfy” is “complacer” — use 'complacer' when you want to express pleasing someone by meeting their desires or wishes, often through actions.
complacer
kom-plah-SEHRkomplaˈθeɾ
Examples
Siempre intenta complacer a sus padres con buenas notas.
He always tries to please his parents with good grades.
Me complace anunciar que hemos terminado el proyecto.
I am pleased to announce that we have finished the project.
No puedes complacer a todo el mundo todo el tiempo.
You can't please everyone all the time.
The 'Yo' Form Trick
This verb adds a 'z' before the 'c' only in the 'yo' form (complazco). This happens to keep the pronunciation consistent with the rest of the forms.
Using the Special Verb Form (Subjunctive)
Because this verb can be used to describe wanting someone else to do something, it often triggers a special verb form: 'Espero que este regalo te complazca' (I hope this gift pleases you).
The Missing Z
Mistake: “Yo complaco a mi jefe.”
Correction: Yo complazco a mi jefe. (Remember to add the 'z' in the first-person present form!)
satisfacer
sa-tees-fa-SEHRsatis.faˈseɾ
Examples
Esta comida no logró satisfacer mi hambre.
This food didn't manage to satisfy my hunger.
Queremos satisfacer las necesidades de nuestros clientes.
We want to meet our customers' needs.
Ella leyó el libro para satisfacer su curiosidad.
She read the book to satisfy her curiosity.
The 'Hacer' Rule
This word is conjugated exactly like the common verb 'hacer' (to do/make). If you know that 'hacer' becomes 'hice' in the past, you'll know 'satisfacer' becomes 'satisfice'.
Using regular endings
Mistake: “Yo satisfací”
Correction: Yo satisfice. Because it follows the 'hacer' pattern, it uses a special 'i' spelling in the past instead of the regular 'í'.
contentar
kon-ten-TARkontenˈtaɾ
Examples
Es imposible contentar a todo el mundo.
It is impossible to please everyone.
Le compré flores para contentarla después de nuestra discusión.
I bought her flowers to make her feel better after our argument.
Sus explicaciones no lograron contentar a los clientes.
His explanations failed to satisfy the clients.
Making Others Happy
When you use this word to talk about pleasing another person, remember to put the word 'a' before their name or the description of them (e.g., 'contentar a mi jefe').
A Word for Action
Use this word when you are actively doing something to change someone's mood from bad to good or from neutral to happy.
Don't confuse with 'contestar'
Mistake: “Quiero contentar tu pregunta.”
Correction: Quiero contestar tu pregunta.
llenar
yeh-NAHRʎeˈnaɾ
Examples
La tristeza llenó su corazón después de la noticia.
Sadness filled her heart after the news.
Su voz potente llenó el teatro entero.
His powerful voice filled the entire theater.
Este pequeño trabajo me ayuda a llenar el tiempo libre.
This little job helps me fill my free time.
Emotional Use
When talking about emotions, the emotion itself is often the subject doing the filling: 'La alegría (joy) llenó mi vida.'
hartar
ar-TARaɾˈtaɾ
Examples
La abuela nos hartó de pasteles.
Grandma stuffed us with cakes.
Es difícil hartar a un adolescente con tanta hambre.
It is difficult to satisfy a teenager with such a big appetite.
Bebe agua hasta hartar.
Drink water until you are full.
Positive vs Negative Hartar
Context is key. When used with food, it can mean a satisfying 'fullness'. When used with actions or people, it's almost always negative.
Over-stuffing with food
Mistake: “Yo harto comida.”
Correction: Say 'Me harto de comida' (I stuff myself) or 'La comida me harta' (The food fills/annoys me).
Complacer vs. Satisfacer vs. Contentar
Related Translations
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