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respirar

to breathe

verb rrehs-pee-RAHR Rare
Body & Health Movement

Origin: From Latin respirare.

Usage Note

Respirar is the standard verb for breathing. The initial r in Spanish is always trilled, so learners must pronounce it as a strong rr sound. The derived noun is respiración; respiración artificial is artificial respiration. The phrase sin respirar ('without breathing') is used idiomatically to describe reading or watching something in one sitting.

Examples

"Es importante respirar bien durante el ejercicio."

Natural Translation

It is important to breathe well during exercise.

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