bocetear
/boθeteˈaɾ/
To outline in Spanish is expressed as bocetear. Wiktionary also lists abocetar and bocetar.
Meaning: to summarize something (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| bocetear | /boθeteˈaɾ/ /boseteˈaɾ/ |
| abocetar | /aboθeˈtaɾ/ /aboseˈtaɾ/ |
| bocetar | /boθeˈtaɾ/ /boseˈtaɾ/ |
When you want to express the action of outlining or sketching out an idea, a plan or a speech, the verb esbozar is often more natural to use than bocetear. For the noun form of outline, you can use esquema for a general description of a subject or contorno to describe the line that marks the boundary of an object's figure.
Which one should you use?
The form bocetear is the most common way to express the action of making a preliminary sketch or outline of a visual work. While the forms abocetar and bocetar also exist, for a noun, use esquema for a general outline or description and boceto specifically when referring to a sketch, particularly in artistic or design-related contexts.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/boθeteˈaɾ/
Did you know?
- The verb esbozar can be used both for sketching a plan and for 'sketching' a smile on one's face, meaning to start to smile faintly.
- While esquema is the standard word for a conceptual outline, in some Spanish-speaking countries it is used interchangeably with 'diagram' or 'flowchart'.
- The verb bocetear is fundamentally tied to the visual arts, as it stems from the noun boceto which means 'sketch'. Using it for a written outline implies you are treating the text like a drawing.
Examples in context
- El esquema del proyecto fue presentado durante la reunión.The outline of the project was presented during the meeting.
- El boceto inicial del proyecto nos permitió establecer las líneas generales.The initial sketch of the project allowed us to establish the general outline.
- Hice un esquema rápido de mi presentación antes de la clase.I made a quick outline of my presentation before class.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a new presentation.
- MaríaMateo, ¿ya tienes la estructura de la presentación?Mateo, do you have the structure of the presentation yet?
- MateoNo, pero voy a bocetear los puntos clave ahora.No, but I am going to outline the key points now.
- MaríaPerfecto, envíame ese resumen cuando termines.Perfect, send me that summary when you finish.
- MateoClaro, María, te lo mando en una hora.Sure, María, I'll send it to you in an hour.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “outline” translations and entries bocetear, abocetar, bocetar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
