admirar
verbCEFR B2
What does “admirar” mean in English?
to admire
to admire (hold in high regard; admire + direct object, or se admira de for marvel at)
Example sentences
Admiro profundamente a las personas capaces de mantener la calma y la claridad en situaciones de crisis.
I deeply admire people who are able to stay calm and clear-headed in crisis situations.
Lo que más se admira de su trabajo es la consistencia entre lo que predica y lo que practica.
What is most admired about his work is the consistency between what he preaches and what he practises.
El público se admiró ante la precisión técnica de la actuación y aplaudió durante varios minutos.
The audience marvelled at the technical precision of the performance and applauded for several minutes.
How to use it
Admirar means 'to admire' in both its literal sense (to gaze at something beautiful) and its evaluative sense (to hold someone in high regard). The reflexive admirarse de means 'to be amazed at' or 'to marvel at'. Common collocations: admirar a alguien por algo (admire someone for something); lo que más se admira de ella es... (what is most admired about her is...). Don't confuse with respetar (respect — more formal, less emotional) or idolatrar (idolise — stronger, often uncritical).
Common mistake
Admirar is active — 'I admire her'. The reflexive admirarse de/ante is passive-emotional — 'I am amazed at it'. Don't confuse these. Also: 'I admire your courage' = 'Admiro tu valentía', not *'Admiro de tu valentía'. The direct object construction takes no preposition. The English 'admire for' translates as 'admirar por': 'la admiro por su determinación'.