animar
/aniˈmaɾ/
To cheer up in Spanish, you can use animar or alegrar.
Meaning: to make someone happy (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| animar | /aniˈmaɾ/ |
| alegrar | /aleˈɡɾaɾ/ |
The verb animar is typically used when you want to boost someone's morale or encourage them through a difficult time. You might also use the noun ánimo as the interjection ¡Ánimo!, which translates to "Cheer up!" or "Keep your chin up!"
What does it mean word for word?
The verb animar is derived from ánima (soul/spirit), and literally means to give spirit or life to someone.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using animar to mean encouraging someone to perform an action, follow the verb with the preposition a, such as animar a alguien a hacer algo. Note that while alegrar is a transitive verb, if you want to express that you yourself are happy or glad about something, you should use the reflexive form alegrarse.
How do you pronounce it?
/aniˈmaɾ/
Did you know?
- The word animar shares the same ancient root as the English word 'animal'. Both come from the Latin word for 'breath' or 'soul'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, cheering someone up might involve the phrase no te rayes, which literally means 'do not scratch yourself'.
- While ¡Ánimo! is used to cheer someone up, it is also the standard way to shout 'Go!' or 'Let's go!' to athletes during a race or sports match.
Examples in context
- Anímese, estamos aquí para apoyarlo/a. Recuerde que todo saldrá bien.Cheer up, we are here to support you. Remember that everything will be fine.
- ¡No te desanimes! Aunque duela ahora, el tiempo lo curará todo.Don't get discouraged! Even though it hurts now, time heals everything.
- ¡Ánimo! Tú eres brillante y te irá genial en el examen. Confío en ti.Cheer up! You are brilliant, and you will do great on the exam. I believe in you.
- Voy a animar a mi hermana.I am going to cheer up my sister.
- Esa película puede animar a la gente.That movie can cheer people up.
- Trata de animar a tus amigos.Try to cheer up your friends.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are talking about a friend who is sad.
- MateoLuis está muy triste hoy.Luis is very sad today.
- SofíaDebemos animar a Luis pronto.We should cheer Luis up soon.
- Mateo¿Cómo podemos animar a nuestro amigo?How can we cheer up our friend?
- SofíaPodemos llevarle un regalo.We can take him a gift.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheer up” translations and entries animar, alegrar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alegrar, animar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
