borrar
/boˈraɾ/
The Spanish verb for 'to delete' is borrar.
Borrar is the most common way to say 'to delete' in Spanish, particularly when referring to erasing text or removing a file. You can also use the past participle borrado as a noun to refer to the act of deletion or erasure.
Meaning: to remove (verb)
Which one should you use?
While borrar is the most common way to say 'delete' (like erasing text or a file), eliminar is often used in more formal or technical software contexts to mean 'to eliminate' or 'to remove' an account or an entry. Suprimir is a verb used in official or technical settings to mean delete or remove.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, borrar might be more frequently used than eliminar.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The preterite (past tense) of 'borrar' for the first person singular is borré.
How do you pronounce it?
/boˈraɾ/
Did you know?
- The word borrar can also be used to mean 'to kidnap' or 'to make someone disappear' in certain slang contexts or crime reporting.
- The word borrar comes from the Spanish word borra, which meant 'rough wool'. This refers to the ancient practice of using raw wool to rub away ink from parchment.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, you might hear the term dar de baja when a person wants to 'delete' or 'cancel' a subscription or a service.
Examples in context
- Voy a borrar la frase.I'll delete the sentence.This sentence shows how to use borrar for a sentence.Tatoeba #2533544 by marcelostockle, translation #2088148 by Eldad
- ¿Puede borrar mi cuenta?Can you delete my account?This sentence uses borrar in a question regarding an account.Tatoeba #9414482 by ignacio, translation #9414192 by shekitten
- «No puedo borrar el archivo.» «¿Y ahora?»"I can't delete the file." "How about now?"This sentence uses borrar to discuss deleting a file.Tatoeba #10202162 by Shishir, translation #10200902 by DJ_Saidez
- Por favor, borre este archivoPlease, delete this file
- Le ruego que suprima este datoI kindly request that you delete this piece of information
- No podemos eliminar los registros sin autorizaciónWe cannot delete the records without authorization
- Borra ese mensaje que enviaste por errorDelete that message you sent by mistake
- ¡Borra de una vez esos archivos innecesarios!Delete those unnecessary files right away!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are cleaning up their digital files on a laptop.
- Javier¿Vas a borrar estos documentos, Sofía?Are you going to delete these documents, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, necesito borrar todo lo que sea viejo.Yes, I need to delete everything that is old.
- JavierEntiendo, yo también voy a borrar mis archivos.I understand, I am also going to delete my files.
- SofíaEs mejor borrar todo para tener espacio.It is better to delete everything to have space.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry borrar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries borrar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
