asir
Lemma Details
Translation: to grasp; to seize; to grab; to clutch; to take hold of
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Asir comes from Latin 'apiscī' meaning 'to reach, attain, get'. It's related to the Latin 'apere' (to fasten, attach), which also gave us words like 'apt' and 'aptitude' in English. The physical sense of grasping or seizing evolved from the more abstract notion of attaining or reaching for something.
Commonality: 30%
Guessability: 20%
Register: literary
Mnemonics
- Think of 'asir' as similar to 'seize' - both start with 's' sounds and involve taking hold of something.
- Imagine saying 'I see it!' (sounds a bit like 'asir') as you reach out to grab something.
Cultural Context
Asir is more commonly found in literary contexts and formal writing than in everyday speech, where synonyms like 'agarrar' or 'coger' are more frequently used. It has a somewhat elevated or refined connotation.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'asir' means 'to grasp or seize', 'asar' means 'to roast or grill'. They look similar but have completely different meanings and conjugations.
Notes: Asir is an irregular verb, while asar follows regular -ar verb conjugation patterns.
Mnemonic: Remember: asir (seize) has an 'i', while asar (roast) has an 'a' - think 'I seize' vs 'A roast'.
Explanation: Both are irregular verbs ending in -ir, but 'asir' means 'to grasp' while 'oír' means 'to hear'.
Confused word:
No pude oír lo que dijo.
I couldn't hear what he said.
Notes: Both verbs have irregular conjugations but follow different patterns.
Mnemonic: Asir starts with 'a' for 'apprehend' (grasp), while oír starts with 'o' for 'otic' (relating to the ear).