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vacilar

to hesitate

verb bah-see-LAHR Rare
Mind & Emotions Attitudes

Also means

to wobble

Usage Note

Vacilar has two main registers: in standard Spanish it means to hesitate or waver (vaciló antes de responder — he hesitated before answering); in colloquial Latin American and especially Mexican Spanish it means to joke around, have fun, or tease (¿me estás vacilando? — are you pulling my leg?). The Latin American slang sense can confuse learners expecting the standard meaning.

Examples

"No vaciles y toma una decisión ahora."

Natural Translation

Don't hesitate and make a decision now.

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