bostezo
/bosˈteθo/
To yawn in Spanish is to say bostezo.
The word refers to the action of opening one's mouth and taking a deep breath. It can function both as a verb and as a noun representing the action itself.
Meaning: open the mouth and take a deep breath (verb)
Which one should you use?
While bostezo is the default form provided, if you wish to use the infinitive verb form meaning 'to yawn', you should use bostezar.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form bostezo can be used as the first-person singular present indicative of the verb bostezar (meaning 'I yawn'). The infinitive form of the verb is bostezar.
How do you pronounce it?
/bosˈteθo/
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers sometimes distinguish between a bostezo and an estornudo (sneeze) in superstitions, where one might be seen as a sign of another person thinking of you.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, yawning in public is considered a sign of boredom or lack of respect toward the speaker, so people often cover their mouths firmly to hide a bostezo.
- The verb bostezar shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the Latin word ōscitō, which means 'to yawn' or 'to be drowsy'.
Examples in context
- Dio un gran bostezo.He gave a big yawn!Tatoeba #860581 by alicia, translation #288312 by tatoebashrek
- Perdón, no puedo evitar bostezarSorry, I can't help yawning.
- Me disculpo, no puedo evitar bostezarI apologize, I can't help yawning.
Example conversation
María and Javier are studying late at night.
- MaríaJavier, ¿estás cansado?Javier, are you tired?
- JavierSí, bostezo cada cinco minutos.Yes, I yawn every five minutes.
- MaríaQuizás deberíamos ir a dormir.Maybe we should go to sleep.
- JavierTienes razón, ya no me concentro.You're right, I can't concentrate anymore.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bostezo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bostezo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
