suspirar
verbCEFR B2
What does “suspirar” mean in English?
to sigh
to sigh (suspirar — audible exhale expressing relief, fatigue, or emotion)
Example sentences
La directora suspiró profundamente antes de anunciar los recortes que afectarían a casi la mitad de la plantilla.
The director sighed deeply before announcing the cuts that would affect nearly half the workforce.
Suspiró de alivio cuando comprobó que todos los documentos seguían en su sitio.
She sighed with relief when she confirmed that all the documents were still in place.
Lleva meses suspirando por ese puesto directivo sin atreverse a solicitarlo.
He has been pining for that management position for months without daring to apply.
How to use it
Suspirar means 'to sigh'. It is intransitive: you sigh, nothing is sighed. Common constructions: suspirar profundamente (sigh deeply), suspirar de alivio (sigh with relief), suspirar por alguien/algo (pine for someone/something — a different, literary sense). At B2, the practical use in narrative and spoken discourse is key. Don't confuse with resollar (to wheeze) or jadear (to pant).
Common mistake
Suspirar por (pine for / long for) is a distinct, more literary meaning from the basic 'sigh'. English 'sigh' is always the exhalation in core B2 use. The verb is intransitive — you cannot *suspirar algo. In writing, suspirar marks emotional beats in narrative, not just breathing.