importar
Lemma Details
Translation: to import; to matter; to be important; to bring in
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: From Latin 'importare' meaning 'to bring in, introduce', composed of 'in-' (into) + 'portare' (to carry). The English cognate 'import' shares the same Latin root. The secondary meaning of 'to matter' or 'to be important' developed from the idea that things brought in from elsewhere were valuable or significant. The English word 'important' also derives from this same Latin root.
Commonality: 85%
Guessability: 90%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
España importa aceite de oliva de Italia.
Spain imports olive oil from Italy.
No me importa lo que piensen los demás.
I don't care what others think.
¿Te importaría cerrar la ventana?
Would you mind closing the window?
Lo que importa es la calidad, no la cantidad.
What matters is quality, not quantity.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'import' in English - they share the same meaning and similar spelling.
- For the 'to matter' meaning, remember that imported goods were historically important or valuable.
- The phrase 'me importa' literally means 'it imports to me' but translates as 'it matters to me'.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, 'importar' is commonly used both in economic contexts (regarding trade) and in everyday conversation to express that something matters or is significant. The phrase 'no me importa' (I don't care) is particularly common in casual speech.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'importar' means to bring goods into a country, 'exportar' means to send goods out of a country. They are opposite processes in international trade.
Confused word:
México exporta aguacates a Estados Unidos.
Mexico exports avocados to the United States.
Notes: These are complementary terms in international trade vocabulary.
Mnemonic: Import starts with 'im-' like 'in' (bringing in); export starts with 'ex-' like 'exit' (sending out).
Explanation: 'Importar' means 'to import' or 'to matter', while 'importunar' means 'to bother' or 'to annoy'. Despite similar spelling, they have completely different meanings.
Confused word:
No quiero importunar a nadie con mis problemas.
I don't want to bother anyone with my problems.
Notes: While they look similar, they come from different Latin roots and have unrelated meanings.
Mnemonic: 'Importunar' has 'tun' in it, which sounds like 'tune' - someone constantly tuning a guitar can be annoying.