deletrear
/deletɾeˈaɾ/
To spell in Spanish is deletrear. Wiktionary also lists U.S.: espelear and grafiar.
Meaning: to write or say the letters that form a word (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| deletrear | /deletɾeˈaɾ/ |
| U.S.: espelear | |
| grafiar | /ɡɾaˈfjaɾ/ |
The verb deletrear is used when you want to express the action of writing or saying the letters that form a word. If you are referring to a magical incantation or the effect of such a charm, you would use related nouns like hechizo, conjuro or ensalmo.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the United States, the term espelear is sometimes used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the continuous action of spelling, use the gerund form deletreando.
How do you pronounce it?
/deletɾeˈaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the Spanglish term espelear instead of the standard deletrear.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word letra serves a double purpose by referring to both a 'letter' of the alphabet and the 'lyrics' of a song.
- In some specialized or academic contexts, grafiar is used to refer to the act of spelling or writing letters, focusing more on the graphic representation than the phonetic sound.
- The term espelear is an anglicism, which means it is a word borrowed directly from the English 'to spell'.
Examples in context
- ¿Me puede deletrear su nombre?Can you spell your name for me?This sentence is useful for asking someone to spell their name using deletrear.Tatoeba #4996127 by don_ramon, translation #4997283 by 3040403
- No sé cómo deletrear esa palabra.I don't know how to spell that word.This sentence shows how to express an inability to spell a word using deletrear.Tatoeba #4571413 by cueyayotl, translation #4398651 by AlanF_US
- ¿Puede deletrear su nombre, por favor?Could you spell your name, please?This sentence is a way to ask someone to spell their name using deletrear.Tatoeba #1138823 by Shishir, translation #70942 by CK
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier is asking María to help him write a complex word.
- JavierMaría, ¿me puedes ayudar a deletrear esto?María, can you help me spell this?
- MaríaClaro, dime qué palabra es.Sure, tell me which word it is.
- JavierEs una palabra difícil de deletrear.It is a difficult word to spell.
- MaríaNo te preocupes, yo te ayudo.Don't worry, I will help you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spell” translations and entries deletrear, grafiar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
