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penetrar

to penetrate, to enter

verb peh-neh-TRAHR Rare
Travel & Places Movement

Origin: From Latin penetrare.

Also means

to pierce

Usage Note

Penetrar is used in both physical and abstract senses — la luz penetra por la ventana (light enters through the window) and penetrar en el mercado (to penetrate the market). It is a formal, neutral verb in these contexts; Spanish does not generally avoid it the way English sometimes avoids 'penetrate'. The noun form is penetración.

Examples

"La luz del sol penetra por las persianas."

Natural Translation

The sunlight penetrates through the blinds.

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