abrazo
/aˈbɾaθo/
The Spanish word abrazo means hug.
An abrazo is a gesture of affection or greeting where a person holds another person closely with their arms. The phrase Un abrazo is commonly used as a warm, informal sign-off in letters or emails, similar to how an English speaker might use 'Warm regards' or 'Best wishes'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of abrazo is abrazos. The noun is derived from the verb abrazar, which means to hug.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈbɾaθo/
Did you know?
- The word abrazo is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'brachial' used in anatomy. Both descend from the Latin bracchium which refers to the arm.
- While un abrazo is a warm sign-off, using the plural abrazos in a letter can actually signal a closer or more intimate relationship than the singular.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a specific type of abrazo involves a rhythmic patting of the back, which serves as a social signal that the greeting is concluding.
Examples in context
- Un abrazo fuerte en estos momentos difícilesA strong hug in these challenging times
- Te envío un abrazo lleno de amor y cariñoSending you a hug full of love and affection
- Le di un abrazo muy fuerte.I gave him a very strong hug.
- Necesito un abrazo de mi madre.I need a hug from my mother.
- El niño pidió un abrazo.The child asked for a hug.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are greeting each other after a long time.
- Sofía¡Hola, Javier! Ven aquí, dame un abrazo.Hi, Javier! Come here, give me a hug.
- Javier¡Hola, Sofía! Qué alegría verte.Hi, Sofía! What a joy to see you.
- SofíaTe extrañaba mucho.I missed you a lot.
- JavierYo también, gracias por el abrazo.Me too, thanks for the hug.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry abrazo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abrazo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
