apasionar
Lemma Details
Translation: to excite; to impassion; to inflame; to arouse passion; to enthuse
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Derived from the Spanish word 'pasión' (passion), which comes from Latin 'passio' (suffering, emotion), ultimately from 'pati' (to suffer). The prefix 'a-' indicates causation, so 'apasionar' literally means 'to cause passion.' The English cognate 'passion' shares the same Latin root, making this connection helpful for English speakers learning Spanish.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 60%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
La música clásica me apasiona.
Classical music excites me.
El fútbol apasiona a millones de personas en todo el mundo.
Football impassions millions of people around the world.
Se apasionó por la fotografía desde muy joven.
He became passionate about photography from a very young age.
El debate apasionó a todos los presentes.
The debate aroused passion in everyone present.
Mnemonics
- Think 'a-passion-ar' - to make someone feel passion
- Remember that the 'a-' prefix in Spanish often means 'to cause' - so apasionar means 'to cause passion'
- Picture a passionate Spanish flamenco dancer who 'apasiona' (excites) the audience
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, expressing passion and emotion is often more socially acceptable and even encouraged compared to some English-speaking cultures. 'Apasionar' is commonly used to describe how hobbies, sports, arts, or causes can inspire strong feelings in people.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'apasionar' means to excite passion, 'compasionar' means to feel compassion or pity for someone.
Notes: 'Apasionar' is about arousing strong positive feelings, while 'compasionar' involves feeling sympathy for others' suffering.
Mnemonic: 'Apasionar' has 'pasión' (passion) in it, while 'compasionar' has 'compasión' (compassion).
Explanation: 'Pasionar' is much less common and refers to suffering passion, while 'apasionar' means to cause passion or excitement.
Notes: 'Pasionar' is rarely used in modern Spanish except in religious contexts, while 'apasionar' is common in everyday speech.
Mnemonic: 'Apasionar' has the 'a-' prefix meaning 'to cause' while 'pasionar' is directly about experiencing passion/suffering.