acariciado
/akaɾiθjado/from spelling rules
The English word "petted" translates to the Spanish word acariciado.
The term refers to something or someone that has been touched gently and lovingly, typically through stroking. The verb acariciar means to caress or to pet. In English, speakers often distinguish between "petting" an animal and "caressing" a person, but in Spanish, the verb acariciar is commonly used for both people and animals.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form acariciado must agree in gender and number with the person or animal being petted. You should use acariciada for a single female, acariciados for a group of males or a mixed group and acariciadas for a group of females.
How do you pronounce it?
/akaɾiθjado/
Did you know?
- The word acariciar can also mean 'to cherish' or 'to harbor' a dream or a hope, such as acariciar la esperanza.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the verb acariciar is often used in a metaphorical sense to describe 'caressing' someone's ego or feelings through words. It describes an act of being overly sweet or even manipulative rather than physical touch.
- The word caricia, a noun related to acariciar, can also describe a gentle breeze or a soft touch of wind on the skin. This personifies nature as something capable of performing a loving gesture.
Examples in context
- ¿Has acariciado alguna vez a una serpiente?Have you ever petted a snake?Tatoeba #4571827 by Shishir, translation #5313399 by tabular
- Ayer acaricié a mi perro durante horas.Yesterday I petted my dog for hours.
- Me encanta dar cariño a los perros que encuentro en el parque.I love petting the dogs I meet at the park.
- Siempre consiento a mi conejo con caricias.I always spoil my rabbit with petting.
- El perro corrió hacia mí, deseando ser acariciado.The dog ran toward me, wanting to be petted.
Example conversation
María and Daniel are looking at a cat.
- MaríaMira cómo el gato quiere ser acariciado.Look how the cat wants to be petted.
- DanielParece que ya ha sido acariciado hoy.It seems he has already been petted today.
- MaríaAun así, se ve muy cariñoso.Still, he looks very affectionate.
- DanielTienes razón, voy a acariciarlo un poco.You're right, I'm going to pet him a bit.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
