Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| sangrar | /sanˈɡɾaɾ/ |
| indentar | /indentaɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
In typography, sangrar is the traditional term used to describe beginning a line or lines at a different distance from the margin or to refer to a bleed margin. In the specific field of computing and programming, the technical anglicism indentar is commonly used.
Which one should you use?
sangrar is the traditional typographic term, while indentar is a technical anglicism used specifically in computing and programming. You can also use the phrase hacer sangría to express indentation formally, or realizar una sangría to mean 'to make an indentation' in formal contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
sangrar and the phrase hacer sangría are formal options. For a technical or computing-specific context, use indentar. In informal situations, you may use the phrase meter sangría.
How do you pronounce it?
/sanˈɡɾaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be aware that while sangrar is used in typography to mean 'to indent', its primary and most common meaning is 'to bleed' (as in blood).
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word for a typographic indent sangría is the exact same word used for the red wine and fruit punch known in English as 'sangria'.
- The term sangría is used in accounting to refer to a deficit or a loss, quite different from the visual concept of an indent in a text.
- The typographic term sangrar is derived from the same Latin root as the English word 'sanguine', meaning it is etymologically linked to the concept of blood.
Examples in context
- Por favor, recuerda sangrar el primer párrafo de cada sección del informe.Please remember to indent the first paragraph of each section in the report.
- Según las normas de la editorial, debes hacer sangría en todos los párrafos.According to the publisher's guidelines, you must indent all paragraphs.
- Asegúrate de realizar una sangría de 1.27 cm en el margen izquierdo.Make sure to indent 1.27 cm on the left margin.
- ¡No te olvides de tabular el párrafo de inicio en cada sección!Don't forget to indent the first paragraph in each section!
- Déjame enseñarte cómo meter sangría en tu documento de Word.Let me show you how to indent your Word document.
- Debes sangrar el primer párrafo de la página.You must indent the first paragraph of the page.
- ¿Cómo puedo sangrar este bloque de texto?How can I indent this block of text?
- No olvides sangrar las citas en el ensayo.Don't forget to indent the quotes in the essay.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are working on a document in a library.
- DanielElena, ¿sabes cómo sangrar este párrafo?Elena, do you know how to indent this paragraph?
- ElenaSí, solo tienes que usar la tecla tabulador.Yes, you just have to use the tab key.
- DanielGracias, ya veo que funciona.Thanks, I see it works now.
- ElenaDe nada, Daniel, el documento se ve mejor.You're welcome, Daniel, the document looks better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “indent” translations and entries sangrar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sangrar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
