olfatear
/olfateˈaɾ/
To sniff in Spanish is to say olfatear. Wiktionary also lists olisquear and oliscar.
Meaning: to make a short audible inhalation (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| olfatear | /olfateˈaɾ/ |
| olisquear | /oliskeˈaɾ/ |
| oliscar | /olisˈkaɾ/ |
The verb is used to describe the act of making a short audible inhalation. When describing an animal sniffing the air or the ground, olfatear is the most common verb used.
Which one should you use?
olfatear is the standard, neutral term for sniffing or scenting. In contrast, olisquear is a more colloquial or informal way to say sniff, often implying a sense of snooping or searching around. While olfatear is neutral, the word aspirar can be used as a formal term to mean sniffing or inhaling deeply.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
olfatear is a neutral, standard term. olisquear is a colloquial or informal way to express the action. If you need to be formal, you can use aspirar to mean to sniff or inhale deeply.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/olfateˈaɾ/
Did you know?
- The colloquial verb olisquear can be used to describe a person who is overly inquisitive, similar to the English phrase 'sticking one's nose in'.
- While olfatear is neutral, using aspirar for sniffing can sound like a medical or technical instruction to inhale.
- The term olfatear is built directly from the noun olfato, which is the Spanish word for the sense of smell itself.
Examples in context
- Tom empezó a olisquear.Tom began to sniff.This sentence shows the use of olisquear.Tatoeba #10781665 by LordJL, translation #3723638 by CM
- El perro aspiró el aroma del aire con curiosidad.The dog sniffed the scent in the air with curiosity.
- El sommelier olió profundamente el vino antes de servirlo.The sommelier sniffed the wine deeply before serving it.
- El niño olió la flor para percibir su fragancia.The kid sniffed the flower to perceive its fragrance.
- Javier estaba resfriado y aspiró fuertemente para despejar su nariz.Javier had a cold and sniffed strongly to clear his nose.
- El perro empezó a olfatear la comida.The dog started to sniff the food.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are in the kitchen with a new puppy.
- Alejandro¿Viste cómo el cachorro empezó a olfatear el plato?Did you see how the puppy started to sniff the dish?
- MaríaSí, parece que tiene mucha hambre.Yes, he seems to be very hungry.
- AlejandroEs muy tierno cuando intenta olfatear todo.It is very cute when he tries to sniff everything.
- MaríaEs cierto, Alejandro, es adorable.It's true, Alejandro, he is adorable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sniff” translations and entries olfatear, olisquear, oliscar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
