guiñar
/ɡiˈɲaɾ/
The English verb 'wink' can be translated into Spanish as guiñar. Wiktionary also lists picar el ojo and bizquear.
Meaning: to blink with only one eye as a message, signal, or suggestion (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| guiñar | /ɡiˈɲaɾ/ | |
| picar el ojo | /pikaɾ el oxo/ (from spelling rules) | colloquial |
| bizquear | /biθkeˈaɾ/ /biskeˈaɾ/ |
To wink means to blink with only one eye to send a message, signal or suggestion. You can say guiñar un ojo to express this action, or use the noun forms guiño or guiñada to refer to the wink itself.
Which one should you use?
While guiñar is the standard verb, you may also encounter the colloquial phrase picar el ojo. The word bizquear is another way to express the action of winking.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Picar el ojo is a colloquial expression.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb guiñar is often used with an indirect object pronoun, such as le or les, to indicate the person being winked at (for example, guiñarle means 'to wink at him/her').
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡiˈɲaɾ/
Did you know?
- The colloquial phrase picar el ojo literally translates to 'to peck the eye', as if you were a bird using a beak.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a wink is not always a flirtatious signal but can be used as a silent agreement between friends to indicate a shared secret or a 'private joke'.
- The word ojo shares the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root as the English word 'ogle', linking the two through their historical sense of looking.
Examples in context
- Tom vio a Mary guiñarle a John.Tom saw Mary wink at John.This sentence shows how to use the verb guiñar to indicate who is being winked at.Tatoeba #5797136 by arh, translation #5448740 by CK
- Ella me guiñó un ojo para indicarme que estaba de acuerdoShe winked at me to indicate she agreed
- Me guiñó el ojo para hacerme una señal.He winked at me to give me a signal.
- Él decidió guiñarle un ojo a la cámara.He decided to wink at the camera.
- No dejes de guiñarle el ojo a tu novia.Don't stop winking at your girlfriend.
Example conversation
Javier and María are at a party talking about a secret.
- JavierMira a nuestro amigo, él sabe el secreto.Look at our friend, he knows the secret.
- MaríaEs verdad, acaba de guiñar el ojo.It is true, he just winked.
- JavierEntonces no podemos decir nada ahora.Then we cannot say anything now.
- MaríaTienes razón, Javier, guardemos el secreto.You are right, Javier, let's keep the secret.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wink” translations and entries guiñar, bizquear, 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 bizquear, el, guiñar, ojo, picar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
