acarícialo
/akaɾiθjalo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'pet it' is translated into Spanish as acarícialo.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the verb acariciar (to pet/caress) and the direct object pronoun lo (it/him).
Which one should you use?
Use acarícelo instead of acarícialo when giving a command to someone you address with the formal usted.
How does it change in a sentence?
Acarícialo is the imperative (command) form used for the informal tú second person. If the object being petted is a feminine noun (like la gata – the female cat), the pronoun changes to la to form acaríciala.
How do you pronounce it?
/akaɾiθjalo/
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, the 'ci' sound in acarícialo is pronounced as an 's' in Latin America but as a 'th' sound in most of Spain.
- If you want to say 'pet it' in a way that implies scratching an animal's itch, you would likely use rascar instead of acariciar.
- Using the command acarícialo with a human can sound very intimate or paternal, as the word carries a stronger connotation of tenderness than 'pet' does in English.
Examples in context
- ¿Me permite acariciarlo?May I pet it?
- ¡Acarícialo! Es muy suave.Pet it! It's very soft.
- Acaríciala, es muy lindaPet her, she's very cute
- ¡Es tan tierno! ¿Puedo acariciarlo?He's so cute! May I pet him?
- El gato es muy suave, acarícialo.The cat is very soft, pet it.
- Si quieres que se calme, acarícialo.If you want him to calm down, pet him.
- Es un cachorro muy lindo, acarícialo.It is a very cute puppy, pet it.
Example conversation
María and Javier are visiting a friend's house with a calm dog.
- MaríaMira qué tranquilo está el perro.Look how calm the dog is.
- JavierEs verdad, es muy manso.It's true, he is very gentle.
- MaríaAcarícialo para que se sienta bien.Pet him so he feels good.
- JavierEstá bien, lo haré.Alright, I will do it.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
