osar

Meaning (in English)

Osar means to dare or to venture—to have the boldness to do something, often something risky, audacious, or socially improper.

Common translations:

• to dare
• to venture
• to presume (in the sense of taking an impertinent liberty)

Example sense: “No se atreve a hacerlo, pero yo sí lo oso.” → “He doesn’t dare do it, but I do.”

Parts / Form

• Infinitive: osar
• Root: os-
• Ending: -ar (1st conjugation verb)

It is frequently used with an infinitive: osar + infinitive

• osó decirlo → “he/she dared to say it”

Spanish synonyms

Depending on context:

• atreverse (a) (most common equivalent: “to dare”)
• animarse (a) (to pluck up courage)
• aventurarse (a) (to venture)
• arriesgarse (a) (to risk it)
• tener la osadía de (to have the audacity to)

Spanish antonyms

• acobardarse (to lose courage, to be cowardly)
• temer (to fear)
• rehuir (to avoid)
• evitar (to avoid)
• no atreverse (not to dare)

Notes on usage

Osar often has a slightly literary or formal tone compared with atreverse, and it can imply audacity or boldness, sometimes bordering on impertinence (“How dare you”).