apelar
/apeˈlaɾ/
The Spanish verb for appeal is apelar.
Apelar is used when you are appealing to a concept, a principle, a person's sense of something or a legal authority. When using apelar to mean 'to appeal to' a quality or a person's sense of something, it is almost always followed by the preposition a.
Meaning: to be attractive (verb)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/apeˈlaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use apelar to mean 'to be attractive' or 'to appeal to someone's tastes'. If you want to say that something is visually or romantically appealing, use atraer instead.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'appeal' for both law and beauty, the Spanish apelar is so tied to the courtroom that using it romantically can sound like you are filing a lawsuit against your partner.
- The verb apelar is related to the Spanish word apelativo, which refers specifically to a nickname or a descriptive title given to a person.
- To express that something 'appeals' to someone's emotions, Spanish speakers often use the phrase llegar al corazón, which literally means 'to reach the heart'.
Examples in context
- Intentó apelar.He tried to appeal.This sentence shows the use of apelar.Tatoeba #1827403 by Shishir, translation #300813 by CM
- Deberíamos apelar al sentido común en vez de recurrir a la violencia.We should appeal to reason instead of resorting to violence.This sentence demonstrates appealing to a concept using the prepositional structure apelar al.Tatoeba #1710598 by teskmon, translation #249370 by CM
- Estoy tratando de apelar al lado razonable de la gente.I'm trying to appeal to the reasonable side of people.This sentence shows how to use apelar when addressing a quality in others.Tatoeba #11063243 by DJ_Saidez, translation #11051474 by shekitten
- El acusado presentó una apelación ante el tribunal superior.The defendant filed an appeal to the higher court.
- La compañía interpuso un recurso ante la corte para apelar la multa.The company filed an appeal with the court to challenge the fine.
- Este vestido tiene un atractivo especial para la ocasión.This dress has a special appeal for the occasion.
- ¿Qué tipo de música te despierta interés?What kind of music appeals to you?
- La película tiene un atractivo especial para los amantes del cine.The movie has a special appeal for film lovers.
- Su música tiene un encanto que atrae a personas de todas las edades.Their music has a charm that appeals to people of all ages.
- Su propuesta tiene un gran atractivo y podría beneficiar a nuestra compañía.Their proposal has great appeal and could benefit our company.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are looking at apartments for rent.
- JavierEste apartamento pequeño no me llega a apelar.This small apartment doesn't really appeal to me.
- LucíaA mí sí me parece muy acogedor, Javier.It seems very cozy to me, Javier.
- Javier¿Qué es lo que más te suele apelar de un hogar?What is it that usually appeals to you most in a home?
- LucíaMe apela mucho que tenga mucha luz natural.It appeals to me a lot that it has plenty of natural light.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry apelar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
