abrazar
verbCEFR B1
What does “abrazar” mean in English?
to hug / to embrace
to hug / to embrace (abrazar a alguien; transitive; personal a obligatory before human objects; reciprocal: abrazarse; noun: un abrazo also common as written sign-off)
Example sentences
Cuando por fin se volvieron a ver después de dos años de separación, se abrazaron durante mucho tiempo sin decir nada, porque no había palabras suficientes.
When they finally saw each other again after two years apart, they hugged for a long time without saying anything, because there were not enough words.
Abrazó a su hija pequeña con fuerza cuando la encontró en el parque, llorando y asustada porque se había alejado del grupo sin darse cuenta.
She hugged her young daughter tightly when she found her in the park, crying and frightened because she had wandered away from the group without realising.
¿Le puedes dar un abrazo de mi parte cuando la veas? Quiero que sepa que estoy pensando en ella.
Can you give her a hug from me when you see her? I want her to know I am thinking of her.
How to use it
Abrazar means 'to hug / to embrace'. It is a transitive verb: abrazar a alguien, with the personal a obligatory before human objects. When the action is mutual, the reciprocal form abrazarse is used: se abrazaron (they hugged each other). The reflexive form abrazarse a algo/alguien also exists with the meaning 'to cling to / to hold on to'. Abrazar is neutral in register and used across all regions. The noun is un abrazo — giving and receiving un abrazo is a very common social formula in both spoken farewells and written sign-offs.
Common mistake
The personal a is obligatory before a human object: 'abrazó a su hijo', never '*abrazó su hijo'. The reciprocal form abrazarse (they hugged each other) uses the same reflexive pronoun as the reflexive form, so context determines the reading. Un abrazo is also one of the most common written sign-offs in Spanish correspondence.