describir
verbUpper-intermediate
What does “describir” mean in English?
to describe, to depict
to describe, to depict (to produce a verbal account or portrayal; describir a alguien / algo)
Example sentences
La testigo describió al sospechoso con una precisión que permitió a los investigadores avanzar en el caso.
The witness described the suspect with a precision that allowed the investigators to move forward with the case.
El informe describe la situación como crítica y pide medidas urgentes de intervención.
The report describes the situation as critical and calls for urgent intervention measures.
Los participantes describieron su experiencia como transformadora, subrayando los cambios en su visión del mundo.
Participants described their experience as transformative, highlighting changes in their worldview.
How to use it
Describir means 'to describe' — producing a verbal account of something or someone. Takes a direct object; with persons, personal a is required: describir a alguien. At B2 the extended frame describir como + adjective/noun is important for formal analysis and argument.
Common mistake
Describir vs. explicar: describir gives a verbal picture or account; explicar gives a reason or mechanism. Personal a is required for human objects: describir a alguien (not *describir alguien). The frame describir como is essential for academic writing at B2.
Topics
Related Upper-intermediate words
Reference
This entry’s teaching guidance follows Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes (Instituto Cervantes), B2 Funciones 2.1.