ignorar
Lemma Details
Translation: to ignore; to be unaware of; to not know; to disregard
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: From Latin 'ignorare', meaning 'to not know, to be unaware of'. It shares the same Latin root as the English word 'ignore'. The prefix 'in-' (meaning 'not') combined with 'gnarus' (meaning 'aware, knowledgeable') formed 'ignorare'. This connection to knowledge rather than just dismissal explains why in Spanish 'ignorar' can mean both 'to ignore' and 'to be unaware of', whereas in English 'ignore' primarily means 'to deliberately disregard'.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 90%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Mnemonics
- Think of 'ignorar' as being 'ignorant' of something - not just ignoring it, but potentially not knowing about it.
- The '-ar' ending tells you it's a regular first conjugation verb in Spanish.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish, 'ignorar' has a broader meaning than English 'ignore'. While it can mean deliberately disregarding something, it often simply means 'to not know' or 'to be unaware of'. This dual meaning can sometimes cause confusion for English speakers learning Spanish.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While both can mean 'to not know', 'ignorar' can also mean 'to deliberately disregard', whereas 'desconocer' only means 'to not know' or 'to be unaware of'.
Notes: 'Ignorar' is more commonly used and has a broader range of meanings than 'desconocer'.
Mnemonic: 'Ignorar' can be active (ignoring) or passive (not knowing), while 'desconocer' is only passive (not knowing).
Explanation: 'Ignorar' means to not know or to disregard, while 'negar' means to deny or refuse.
Confused word:
Él negó haber estado allí.
He denied having been there.
Notes: Both verbs can involve rejecting something, but in different ways - 'ignorar' by not acknowledging, 'negar' by explicitly rejecting.
Mnemonic: Think of 'negar' as saying 'no' (denying), while 'ignorar' is about knowledge or attention.