brillar
/bɾiˈʝaɾ/
The English phrase 'glow' can be translated into Spanish as brillar.
brillar is used to describe a color being bright or a thing having a bright color.
Meaning: of a colour: to be bright, of a thing: to have a bright colour (verb)
Which one should you use?
While brillar is the general term for 'to glow' or 'to shine' and is often used for objects that reflect light or emit a steady light, resplandecer is used for a more intense, radiant glow.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gerund form brillando is used to describe the continuous action of glowing.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɾiˈʝaɾ/
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, brillar is used in the expression brillar por su ausencia, which literally means 'to shine by one's absence'. It is used ironically to point out that someone is conspicuously missing.
- The word brillar was borrowed from the Italian word brillare. This reflects a period when Italian artistic and linguistic styles heavily influenced Spanish.
- The word brillo is the noun form for 'glow' or 'shine', and it is also the Spanish word for 'polish', used for cleaning shoes or jewelry.
Examples in context
- Los investigadores han creado gatitos que pueden brillar en la oscuridad.The researchers have created kittens that can glow in the dark.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use brillar to describe kittens that can glow in the dark.Tatoeba #1786426 by Shishir, translation #1786423 by Scott
- El farol en la oscuridad resplandece con luz suave.The lantern in the darkness glows with a soft light.
- La joya brilla con un resplandor deslumbrante.The jewel glows with a dazzling radiance.
- El sol del atardecer esplende sobre el horizonte.The sun at sunset glows brightly over the horizon.
- Las estrellas brillan en el cielo.The stars glow/shine in the sky.
- Las estrellas comienzan a brillar en el cielo.The stars begin to glow in the sky.
- Ese color necesita brillar más en la pintura.That color needs to glow more in the painting.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are looking at a decorative lamp in a shop.
- SofíaMira cómo puede brillar esta lámpara de colores.Look at how this colored lamp can glow.
- JavierEs verdad, brilla de una forma muy bonita.It's true, it glows in a very beautiful way.
- SofíaJavier, ¿crees que brillará mucho en la sala?Javier, do you think it will glow a lot in the living room?
- JavierSí, creo que quedará muy bien.Yes, I think it will look great.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry brillar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brillar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
