llorar
/ʝoˈɾaɾ/
The Spanish phrase llorar means llorar (phrase).
While llorar is the standard term, you may encounter other expressions depending on the specific way someone is crying. For example, lloriquear is used to describe whining or whimpering and hacer pucheros refers to crying while making a pouty face.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to say 'I cried' in the first-person singular preterite, use lloré.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʝoˈɾaɾ/
Did you know?
- The term llora is used in the name of La Llorona, a famous folklore figure in Mexico and the Americas who is a ghost condemned to wander and weep for her children.
- In certain Caribbean dialects, llorar can be used as a slang term to describe something that is very poor in quality or 'pitiful' to look at.
- The English word 'implore' shares its ancestor with llorar, as both originate from the Latin plōrāre, meaning 'to cry out'.
Examples in context
- Es inevitable llorar cuando enfrentamos situaciones dolorosas.It's inevitable to cry when faced with painful situations.
- La novela conmovedora logró hacerme derramar lágrimas al final.The touching novel managed to make me shed tears at the end.
- Cuando vi el final de esa película triste, me eché a llorar como nunca antes.When I saw the ending of that sad movie, I burst into tears like never before.
- Después de la ruptura, pasó días haciendo pucheros y llorando en su habitación.After the breakup, she spent days pouting and crying in her room.
- Él llora cada vez que escucha esa canción.He cries every time he listens to that song.
- Sus lágrimas son fruto del sufrimiento.Her tears are the result of suffering.
- Siempre lloriqueas cuando ves películas tristes.You always whine when you watch sad movies.
- Me eché a llorar al ver lo desolado que estaba el lugar.I burst into tears upon seeing how desolate the place was.
- Ella empezó a llorar cuando vio la película.She started to cry when she saw the movie.
- No quiero llorar frente a ti.I don't want to cry in front of you.
- Ella empezó a llorar por la noticia.She started to cry because of the news.
- Es normal llorar cuando estás triste.It is normal to cry when you are sad.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about a sad movie at home.
- Daniel¿Te hizo llorar la película?Did the movie make you cry?
- MaríaSí, me puse a llorar al final.Yes, I started to cry at the end.
- DanielEs una historia muy triste, María.It is a very sad story, María.
- MaríaEs cierto, no pude dejar de llorar.True, I couldn't stop crying.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry llorar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries llorar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
