How to Say "to sparkle" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to sparkle” is “brillar” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
El sol brilla mucho hoy.
The sun is shining a lot today.
Tus zapatos brillan como si fueran nuevos.
Your shoes are shining as if they were new.
Las estrellas brillaban en el cielo despejado.
The stars were shining in the clear sky.
Using 'brillar' without an object
This verb describes an action that a subject does on its own. You don't 'shine a flashlight' with 'brillar' (use 'alumbrar' or 'iluminar' for that); rather, the flashlight 'brilla'.
Present vs. Ongoing
In Spanish, 'El sol brilla' can mean 'The sun shines' (generally) or 'The sun is shining' (right now). You don't always need the '-ing' form to describe what is happening at the moment.
Shining an object
Mistake: “Voy a brillar mi carro.”
Correction: Voy a sacarle brillo a mi carro (or) Voy a encerar mi carro.
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.