bésala
/besala/from spelling rules
To say 'kiss her' in Spanish, you use bésala.
The phrase is an imperative used to tell someone to give a kiss to a female person.
What does it mean word for word?
The word bésala is composed of the imperative verb bésa (kiss) and the direct object pronoun la (her).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Spain, the phrase darle un pico is used to refer to giving someone a peck or a gentle kiss.
How do you pronounce it?
/besala/
Did you know?
- The word pico used in dale un pico literally means 'beak' or 'peak', comparing a quick kiss on the lips to the way birds touch beaks.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a greeting kiss is not a kiss on the lips but a light touch of cheeks. Depending on the country, this may be one kiss in Spain or two in parts of Latin America.
- The grammar of bésala changes completely if the command is negative. To say 'don't kiss her', you must switch to the subjunctive form no la beses and move the pronoun to the front.
Examples in context
- Bésala.Kiss her.This example shows the use of bésala as a direct command.Tatoeba #13883935 by morbrorper, translation #3914086 by CH
- Juan quiere darle un beso a María.Juan wants to kiss Maria.
- Tengo muchas ganas de besarla esta noche.I really want to kiss her tonight.
- Señor, ¿me permite besarla en la mejilla?Sir, may I kiss her on the cheek?
- Bésala ahora mismo.Kiss her right now.
- No tengas miedo, bésala.Don't be afraid, kiss her.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking about a baby.
- DanielMira qué linda es la bebé.Look how cute the baby is.
- SofíaEs preciosa, me encanta.She is precious, I love her.
- DanielBésala en la mejilla.Kiss her on the cheek.
- SofíaLo haré con gusto.I will do it with pleasure.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
