tomar el sol
/tomaɾ el sol/from spelling rules
To sunbathe in Spanish is tomar el sol. It is also spelled tomar sol.
Meaning: to expose one's body to the sun (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tomar el sol | /tomaɾ el sol/ (from spelling rules) | |
| tomar sol | /tomaɾ sol/ (from spelling rules) | alternative form |
The phrase is used to describe the act of exposing one's body to the sun. If you want to speak about the specific process of tanning or the result of getting a tan, use broncearse instead.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tomar el sol literally translates to to take the sun.
Which one should you use?
While tomar el sol refers to the general act of exposing oneself to the sun, broncearse is used when you want to focus on the process of tanning or the actual tan itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the continuous action of sunbathing, use the gerund form tomando el sol.
How do you pronounce it?
/tomaɾ el sol/
Did you know?
- While sol means 'sun', the Peruvian currency of the same name actually comes from the Latin word solidus, which refers to a gold coin.
- The verb tomar is used in tomar el sol to mean 'take', but it is also the standard word for drinking a liquid, such as tomar agua.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, tomar el sol is often paired with the practice of 'siesta', where people avoid the strongest midday sun to prevent heatstroke.
Examples in context
- Es impensable que te pongas a tomar el sol desnudo en el balcón.It's unthinkable that you would sunbathe, naked, on this balcony.Tatoeba #1944860 by topofabi, translation #1945886 by Scott
- Me gusta tomar el sol en la playa durante las vacacionesI enjoy sunbathing at the beach during my vacations
- Pasamos todo el día en la piscina bronceándonosWe spent the whole day by the pool, sunbathing and tanning
- Los fines de semana me gusta descansar al sol en mi jardínOn weekends, I enjoy resting in the sun in my garden
- Vamos a la playa a echarnos al sol todo el díaLet's go to the beach and lie in the sun all day
- Mis amigos siempre se tostan al sol en veranoMy friends always get a suntan in the summer
- Me gusta tomar el sol en la playa.I like to sunbathe on the beach.
- ¿Quieres salir a tomar el sol un rato?Do you want to go out to sunbathe for a while?
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are at a hotel during their vacation.
- SofíaMateo, hace mucho calor hoy.Mateo, it is very hot today.
- MateoSí, podríamos ir a tomar el sol.Yes, we could go to sunbathe.
- Sofía¡Buena idea! Traeré mi crema solar.Good idea! I will bring my sunscreen.
- MateoYo buscaré las toallas en la habitación.I will look for the towels in the room.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sunbathe” translations and entries tomar el sol, tomar sol, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries el, sol, tomar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
