resumen
/reˈsumen/
The Spanish word for recap is resumen.
The noun resumen refers to a brief summary of the main points of something that has already happened. While English speakers often use the word 'recap' as a verb, in Spanish you should use the noun resumen to refer to the recap itself or use the related verb resumir if you wish to say 'to summarize'.
How does it change in a sentence?
resumen is a masculine noun. When forming the plural, resúmenes, an accent mark is added to the second 'u' to maintain the correct stress. The related verb is resumir.
How do you pronounce it?
/reˈsumen/
Did you know?
- In professional or academic settings, a 'recap' is often called a minuta if it refers specifically to the summary of decisions made during a meeting.
- The noun resumen stems from the Latin resūmentem, a word that describes the physical or metaphorical action of gathering things together.
- When watching a quick overview of a plot, you might hear the word resumencito, where the diminutive suffix is used to emphasize just how brief and informal the recap is.
Examples in context
- Vamos a hacer un resumen de los puntos principales discutidos en la reunión de hoyLet's recap the main points discussed in today's meeting
- Podría resumir brevemente lo que hemos discutidoCould you briefly recap what we have discussed
- Vamos a repasar los temas más importantes de la claseLet's recap the most important topics from the class
- ¿Podrías hacer un repaso de lo que dijimos ayer?Could you do a recap of what we said yesterday?
- Me perdí durante la explicación del proyecto, ¿podrías hacer un resumen para que pueda ponerme al día?I got lost during the project explanation, could you give me a recap so I can catch up?
- Claro, a continuación haré un resumen de los puntos clave para ayudarte a entender.Of course, I will now summarize the key points to help you understand.
- El resumen fue muy breve.The summary was very brief.
- Necesito un resumen de la reunión.I need a summary of the meeting.
- ¿Puedes hacer un resumen del libro?Can you make a summary of the book?
Example conversation
Daniel and María are reviewing notes after a business presentation.
- DanielMaría, ¿tienes un resumen de lo que dijo el jefe?María, do you have a summary of what the boss said?
- MaríaSí, tengo un resumen escrito en mi cuaderno.Yes, I have a written summary in my notebook.
- DanielPerfecto, pásame ese resumen por favor.Perfect, pass me that summary, please.
- MaríaClaro, aquí tienes el resumen.Sure, here is the summary.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry resumen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries resumen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
