entrar
/enˈtɾaɾ/
The English phrase "enter" translates to Spanish as entrar. Wiktionary also lists ingresar.
Meaning: to go into (a room, etc.) (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| entrar | /enˈtɾaɾ/ |
| ingresar | /inɡɾeˈsaɾ/ |
The verb is used to describe the action of going into a physical space, such as a room or a building.
Which one should you use?
While entrar is the general word for entering a physical space, ingresar is used for more formal processes, such as being admitted to a hospital or entering data into a computer system.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When specifying the place one is entering, entrar is often followed by the preposition en.
How do you pronounce it?
/enˈtɾaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use entrar a instead of entrar en when specifying a destination.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking countries, entrar en materia is a common idiom meaning to get to the heart of the subject or start discussing the main point.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the verb ingresar is used specifically for bank deposits, whereas in English we simply say 'to deposit'.
- The Latin root of entrar actually comes from the word 'interus', which relates to being 'among' or 'between' things.
Examples in context
- Llama antes de entrar.Knock before you enter.This sentence is useful for practicing the verb entrar.Tatoeba #7967716 by Seael, translation #7967710 by CK
- No hay forma de entrar.There's no way to enter.Tatoeba #13485112 by Seael, translation #13485119 by frpzzd
- Lo vi entrar a la tienda.I saw him enter the store.Tatoeba #1649521 by marcelostockle, translation #284034 by CK
- Por favor, entre.Please enter.
- Prohibido el ingreso sin autorización.No unauthorized entry.
- Ingresa al edificio y dirígete al mostrador de recepción.Enter the building and proceed to the reception desk.
- Pase, su asiento está en la tercera fila.Please enter, your seat is in the third row.
- Entra y siéntate, la comida está lista.Come in and sit down, the food is ready.
- Pasa, ya inició la fiesta.Come on in, the party has already started.
- El cliente entró al banco para realizar una transacción.The customer entered the bank to make a transaction.
- Por favor, ingrese su número de identificación para iniciar sesión.Please enter your identification number to log in.
- Entra a mi casa y siéntete como en la tuya.Come into my house and make yourself at home.
- Pasa a la cocina y toma lo que quieras.Come into the kitchen and take whatever you want.
- 70 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are standing outside a closed cafe.
- MateoParece que ya quieren entrar.It looks like they want to enter already.
- ElenaEspera, deja que yo entre primero.Wait, let me enter first.
- MateoEstá bien, Elena, entra tú.Okay, Elena, you go in.
- ElenaGracias, Mateo, te veo adentro.Thanks, Mateo, I'll see you inside.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “enter” translations and entries entrar, ingresar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries entrar, ingresar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
