herir
hurt
Causar daño o dolor a una persona o a un ser vivo, ya sea física o emocionalmente.
Word: herir
Meaning in English:
"Herir" is a Spanish verb that means "to wound" or "to injure." It generally refers to causing physical harm or injury to a person or animal. However, it can also be used in a figurative sense to mean "to hurt someone's feelings" or "to offend."
Explanation:
-
Literal meaning:
To cause physical wounds or injuries. For example, "La cuchilla puede herir" means "The blade can wound." -
Figurative meaning:
To emotionally hurt or offend someone. For example, "Sus palabras me hirieron" means "His/her words hurt me."
Parts of the word:
- "herir" is a regular verb from the e → ie stem-changing category in the present tense (e.g., yo hiero).
- It is an infinitive verb ending in -ir.
Synonyms:
- Literal (physical injury):
- lastimar
- lesionar
- dañar
- Figurative (emotional hurt):
- ofender
- afectar
- chocar
Antonyms:
- curar (to heal) – opposite of causing injury
- sanar (to heal, recover)
- proteger (to protect)
In summary:
"Herir" is used when someone or something causes harm physically or emotionally, with a core idea centered on causing injury or pain.
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Examples
No quería herir sus sentimientos.verb
I didn't want to hurt their feelings.
No quiero herir a nadie con mis palabras.verb
I don't want to hurt anyone with my words.
¿Te has herido alguna vez mientras cocinabas?verb
Have you ever hurt yourself while cooking?
La noticia hirió profundamente al equipo técnico.verb
The news hurt the technical team deeply.
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