desbrozar
/desbɾoˈθaɾ/
To weedeat in Spanish is desbrozar.
While the English term weedeat specifically refers to using a motorized trimming tool, the Spanish verb desbrozar is a broader term used to mean clearing brush, weeds or thickets.
Which one should you use?
If you wish to be more specific about removing weeds, you can use the formal verb desmalezar. For a formal way to describe the specific action of using a motorized trimmer, use the phrase recortar con una desbrozadora.
How does it change in a sentence?
The first-person singular preterite form (meaning "I weedeated") is desbrocé. The gerund form (meaning "weedeating") is desbrozando.
How do you pronounce it?
/desbɾoˈθaɾ/
Did you know?
- The term desbrozar is also used metaphorically in art and writing to describe the act of removing unnecessary details from a rough draft or sketch to reveal the main form.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the act of using a motorized trimmer is colloquially called pasar la motoguadaña or pasar la bordeadora rather than the formal desbrozar.
- The root of desbrozar comes from the word broza, which refers to the debris or rubbish left over after clearing vegetation. This means that to 'weedeat' is etymologically to 'remove the rubbish'.
Examples in context
- Ayer pasé todo el día desmalezando el jardín.Yesterday, I spent the whole day weedeating the garden.
- Fernando suele recortar con una desbrozadora antes de cortar el césped.Fernando usually weedeats with a trimmer before mowing the lawn.
- Vamos al parque a desmalezar con la bordeadora.Let's go to the park to weedeat with the trimmer.
- Tengo que desbrozar el jardín hoy.I have to weedeat the garden today.
- Él va a desbrozar los bordes del camino.He is going to weedeat the edges of the path.
- Necesitamos desbrozar toda la maleza del patio.We need to weedeat all the weeds in the patio.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are discussing weekend chores in their backyard.
- Mateo¿Vas a desbrozar el césped tú, Mateo?Are you going to weedeat the grass, Mateo?
- SofíaNo, prefiero desbrozar los arbustos.No, I prefer to weedeat the bushes.
- MateoEstá bien, yo desbrozaré el resto.Alright, I will weedeat the rest.
- SofíaGracias, terminarás muy rápido.Thanks, you will finish very quickly.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry desbrozar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries desbrozar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
