Inklingo

How to Say "to vary" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to vary” is “cambiar” — use "cambiar" when you want to express that something is showing differences or undergoing a transition from one state to another.

English → Spanish

cambiar

kahm-bee-AHRkamˈbjaɾ

VerbA1General
Use "cambiar" when you want to express that something is showing differences or undergoing a transition from one state to another.
A simple illustration of a tree where half the leaves are vibrant green and the other half are bright red and orange, depicting the change of seasons.

Examples

El tiempo cambia muy rápido en la montaña.

The weather changes very quickly in the mountains.

Las cosas han cambiado mucho desde que éramos niños.

Things have changed a lot since we were kids.

Mi hermano cambió de opinión y ahora quiere venir.

My brother changed his mind and now he wants to come.

Changing Your Mind, Job, etc.

To say you're changing something like your mind, job, or house, use the pattern 'cambiar de + [noun]'. For example, 'Voy a cambiar de trabajo' (I'm going to change jobs). You don't need to say 'mi trabajo'.

Changing Clothes: 'cambiar' vs. 'cambiarse'

Mistake: “Voy a cambiar mi ropa.”

Correction: Voy a cambiarme de ropa. When you're changing your own clothes, you almost always use 'cambiarse'. Think of it like 'to change oneself'.

variar

bah-ree-AHRbaˈɾjaɾ

VerbA2General
Use "variar" when you want to indicate that something is different, diverse, or involves a range of options.
An artist painting a white vase with bright blue and yellow stripes to make it look different.

Examples

Tienes que variar tu dieta para estar sano.

You have to vary your diet to be healthy.

Los precios varían según la temporada.

Prices vary depending on the season.

Ella decidió variar el diseño original del vestido.

She decided to alter the original design of the dress.

The Accent Mark Rule

Notice that the 'i' gets an accent mark (varío, varía) in many present tense forms. This is to make sure you pronounce the 'i' clearly instead of blending it into the next vowel.

Using 'de' with Variar

When you want to say you are changing something specific, like your opinion or your route, you often use the word 'de' after the verb: 'variar de opinión'.

Missing the Accent

Mistake: “Yo vario el plan.”

Correction: Yo varío el plan. Without the accent on the 'i', the pronunciation changes completely.

Variar vs. Cambiar

Mistake: “Quiero variar mis dólares por pesos.”

Correction: Quiero cambiar mis dólares por pesos. Use 'cambiar' for exchanging things; use 'variar' for making something different or diverse.

Cambiar vs. Variar

Learners often confuse "cambiar" and "variar." Remember that "cambiar" emphasizes a shift or difference, like a change in state or appearance, while "variar" focuses more on diversity or having different options.

Related Translations

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