vestirse
/besˈtiɾse/
The English phrase 'to get dressed' is translated into Spanish as vestirse.
vestirse is used to describe the general process of putting clothes on your body.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is the reflexive form of the verb vestir, which literally means 'to dress oneself'.
Which one should you use?
Use vestirse when talking about the act of getting dressed in general. If you want to specify a particular garment, such as a jacket, you should use ponerse instead (for example, ponerse la chaqueta).
How does it change in a sentence?
Both vestirse and arreglarse are reflexive verbs.
How do you pronounce it?
/besˈtiɾse/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to use vestir without a reflexive pronoun. Using vestir alone implies that you are dressing someone else rather than yourself.
Did you know?
- In some contexts, vestirse can describe a person's general style. If someone se viste bien, it does not mean they are currently putting on clothes, but that they have a fashionable wardrobe.
- The word vestirse shares a root with the English word 'vestment'. Both derive from the Latin vestis, which referred specifically to a garment or clothing.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone asks if you are 'ya vestido' (already dressed), they may actually be asking if you are ready to leave the house.
Examples in context
- Necesita diez horas para vestirse.He needs ten hours to get dressed.This sentence shows how long it might take someone to perform the action of vestirse.Tatoeba #1290891 by enteka, translation #4736726 by paper1n0
- Debo vestirme elegante para la conferencia de mañana.I should dress up for the conference tomorrow.
- Debo arreglarme antes de salir.I should get dressed before leaving.
- Necesito ponerme ropa antes de salir.I need to get dressed before going out.
- Me voy a echar algo rápido para ir al supermercado.I'm going to quickly put something on to go to the supermarket.
- Es importante que te vistas adecuadamente para la ocasión.It's important that you dress appropriately for the occasion.
- ¿Ya te arreglaste? Debemos salir pronto.Did you get dressed already? We need to go soon.
- Me voy a poner ropa más cómoda antes de ir al parque.I'm going to put on some more comfortable clothes before going to the park.
- No tenemos mucho tiempo, así que échate algo rápido y salgamos.We don't have much time, so put something on quickly, and let's go.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are preparing for a party.
- SofíaAlejandro, ya es hora de vestirse.Alejandro, it is time to get dressed now.
- AlejandroSólo necesito cinco minutos más.I just need five more minutes.
- Sofía¿Todavía no sabes qué ponerte?You still don't know what to wear?
- AlejandroSí, pero voy a vestirse ahora mismo.Yes, but I am going to get dressed right now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vestirse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
