consentir
Lemma Details
Translation: to consent; to allow; to permit; to spoil; to indulge; to pamper
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: From Latin 'consentire', formed by the prefix 'con-' (together, with) and 'sentire' (to feel, perceive). The English cognate 'consent' shares the same Latin root. The original meaning conveyed the idea of 'feeling together' or 'agreeing in sentiment', which evolved into the modern meanings of giving permission and, in Spanish, also developed the additional meaning of indulging or spoiling someone (especially children).
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
No consiento que me hables así.
I don't allow you to speak to me like that.
Los abuelos consienten mucho a sus nietos.
Grandparents spoil their grandchildren a lot.
Consintió en firmar el contrato.
He consented to sign the contract.
Si consientes todos sus caprichos, se volverá malcriado.
If you indulge all his whims, he will become spoiled.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'con-SENT-ir' as related to 'consent' in English, but with the added meaning of spoiling someone.
- Remember that when you 'consent' to everything a child wants, you end up 'spoiling' them - both meanings in one word.
- The 'sent' in consentir relates to 'sentiment' or feelings - you're agreeing with someone's feelings or desires.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, 'consentir' has a strong association with parenting styles. Being 'consentidor' (indulgent) with children can have both positive and negative connotations depending on the context and degree. The dual meaning of both 'allowing' and 'spoiling' in the same verb reflects cultural attitudes about the relationship between permission and indulgence.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Consentir' means to consent or to spoil, while 'consistir' means to consist of or to be composed of.
Confused word:
La felicidad consiste en apreciar lo que tienes.
Happiness consists of appreciating what you have.
Notes: These verbs look similar but have completely different meanings and conjugation patterns. 'Consentir' is irregular in some forms (consiento, consintió), while 'consistir' follows regular -ir verb patterns.
Mnemonic: 'ConSENTir' has 'sent' like 'consent', while 'conSISTir' has 'sist' like 'consist'.
Explanation: 'Consentir' is a real Spanish verb meaning to consent or spoil, while 'concentir' is not a standard Spanish word and might be a misspelling.
Confused word:
N/A
N/A
Notes: People sometimes misspell 'consentir' as 'concentir', possibly confusing it with 'concentrar' (to concentrate).
Mnemonic: Remember that the correct spelling has an 's': conSentir.