despertar (spanish) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation

Part of Speech

The word "despertar" is a verb in Spanish.

Phonetic Transcription

/des.perˈtar/

Translation Options into English

• To awaken
• To wake up
• To arise
• To rouse

Meaning and Usage

The term "despertar" refers to the action of waking someone or oneself from sleep. It can also metaphorically signify awakening a consciousness or realization. It is commonly used both in spoken and written contexts, though it tends to appear frequently in oral speech due to its relevance in daily conversation about routine activities like waking up.

Example Sentences

1. Necesito despertar temprano mañana para ir al trabajo.

2. I need to wake up early tomorrow to go to work.

3. El sonido del despertador no logró despertar a Juan.

4. The sound of the alarm clock didn’t manage to wake Juan.

5. Es importante despertar la curiosidad de los estudiantes en clase.

6. It is important to awaken the curiosity of students in class.

Idiomatic Expressions

"Despertar" is part of several idiomatic expressions in Spanish, which typically reflect ideas of awareness, realization, or a change in perception. Here are some common expressions:

1. Despertar conciencias
2. This phrase means "to awaken consciousness" or to raise awareness about a particular issue.

3. Example: La campaña tiene como objetivo despertar conciencias sobre el cambio climático.

   • The campaign aims to awaken consciousness about climate change.

4. Despertar del sueño

5. This translates to "awakening from a dream," often used metaphorically to describe coming back to reality.

6. Example: Después de muchos años, finalmente despertó del sueño y decidió cambiar su vida.

   • After many years, he finally woke up from the dream and decided to change his life.

7. Despertar en medio de la noche

8. Means "to wake up in the middle of the night," often used to indicate a disturbance.

9. Example: Desperté en medio de la noche por el ruido de la tormenta.

   • I woke up in the middle of the night because of the storm noise.

10. Despertar a la realidad

11. This means "to wake up to reality," often used when someone realizes an important truth.
12. Example: Después de perder su trabajo, tuvo que despertar a la realidad de la situación económica.
    • After losing his job, he had to wake up to the reality of the economic situation.

Etymology

The word "despertar" originates from the Latin "despertare," which is composed of the prefix "de-" meaning "from" or "off," and "spertare," which is derived from "sparsus," meaning "to scatter" or "to spread out." Thus, the term suggests the action of spreading out from a state of sleep.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - Despertar en el sentido de "to wake up": "despertarse," "avivar," "reanimar."

Antonyms: - Dormir (to sleep) - Adormecer (to lull to sleep)

In summary, "despertar" serves as both a literal and metaphorical term in the Spanish language, with multiple usages and associations in everyday conversations, idiomatic expressions, and various contexts.