deletrear
/deletɾeˈaɾ/
In Spanish, 'to spell' is deletrear.
The verb deletrear is used to name or write the letters of a word in the correct order.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb deletrear is composed of the root letra (letter) and the suffix -ear, which is used to indicate performing an action related to the root.
Which one should you use?
While deletrear is the verb meaning 'to spell', the noun deletreo refers to the act of spelling itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express continuous actions like 'I am spelling', you can use the gerund deletreando. If you want to say 'I spelled' in the first-person singular preterite (past tense), use deletreé.
How do you pronounce it?
/deletɾeˈaɾ/
Did you know?
- Spanish has a unique distinction between letra (the character) and ortografía (the correct spelling of a word). While deletrear is the act of naming letters, ortografía is the discipline of writing them correctly.
- When spelling over the phone, Spanish speakers often use the 'Spanish Phonetic Alphabet' based on common nouns. For example, they might say B de burro or D de dedo to ensure clarity.
- The root of deletrear comes from the Latin word letra, which is an ancient relative of the English word 'letter'.
Examples in context
- No sé cómo deletrear esa palabra.I don't know how to spell that word.This sentence shows how to express that you do not know how to use deletrear.Tatoeba #4571413 by cueyayotl, translation #4398651 by AlanF_US
- Bueno, te diré como deletrear mi nombre.Well, I'll tell you how to spell my name.This sentence demonstrates how to offer to use deletrear for a name.Tatoeba #1501416 by marcelostockle, translation #53215 by orcrist
- Las palabras no eran fáciles de deletrear.The words weren't easy to spell.This sentence describes how difficult certain words were to use deletrear.Tatoeba #9975833 by manufrutos, translation #6924140 by Eccles17
- ¿Cómo se escribe tu nombre?How do you spell your name?
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are at a post office.
- Daniel¿Puede deletrear su apellido, por favor?Can you spell your last name, please?
- ElenaSí, es la letra G, luego la O, la M, la E, la Z.Yes, it is the letter G, then O, M, E, Z.
- DanielGracias, Elena. Lo tengo.Thank you, Elena. I have it.
- ElenaDe nada, Daniel.You're welcome, Daniel.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry deletrear, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deletrear, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
