The word "garabatear" is a verb.
/garaβaˈte.aɾ/
"Garabatear" refers to the action of writing or drawing hastily and carelessly, often with no intention of creating a well-formed text or image. It can indicate a lack of care or precision in the execution. The term is commonly used in both oral and written contexts, though it may lean toward more informal language in everyday conversation.
The word is moderately common in everyday Spanish, particularly in contexts related to childhood (e.g., children scribbling) or informal notes.
She started to scribble in her notebook while listening to music.
No puedo leer tus apuntes porque solo están garabateados.
I can't read your notes because they are just scrawled.
Durante la reunión, Juan se dedicó a garabatear en un papel.
"Garabatear" is sometimes used in idiomatic expressions, particularly to convey ideas of imprecision or carelessness in writing or drawing.
Scribbling a document is not a good way to impress.
Siempre que está aburrido, empieza a garabatear sus pensamientos.
Whenever he's bored, he starts to doodle his thoughts.
En vez de garabatear, deberías organizar tus ideas.
Instead of scrawling, you should organize your ideas.
Ella me mostró su cuaderno lleno de garabatos.
The verb "garabatear" comes from the noun "garabato," which means a scribble or scrawl, possibly derived from the Arabic word "gharabāt" meaning a scratch or mark. The term reflects the informal and hastily done nature of writing.
Synonyms: - Esbozar (to sketch) - Trazar (to outline) - Dibujar (to draw, though this usually implies more care)
Antonyms: - Detallar (to detail) - Escribir (to write, in a more formal sense) - Redactar (to draft)
This word encompasses a range of meanings and uses within various contexts while retaining a familiar tone in Spanish conversations.