Spanish word

anhelar

Pronunciation

IPA/aneˈlaɾ/

Meaning

  • verblong for

Example

Yo anhelo verte pronto.

I long to see you soon.

Illustration for anhelar (long for)

More examples

En las tardes de domingo, anhelo volver a casa y descansar.

On Sunday afternoons, I long to return home and rest.

Core concept

Person panting while reaching toward a distant star.

Common phrases

  • anhelar volver a casa

    long to return home

  • anhelar tranquilidad

    long for tranquility

Similar words

querer: Wants something strongly, covering objects, actions, or people in everyday life.
desear: Wishes from the heart for something to happen or to be obtained.
esperar: Hopes for or awaits a particular event or specific outcome to occur.
añorar: Yearns nostalgically for an absent person or for times gone by.

Definition in Spanish

Desear con gran intensidad algo o la presencia de alguien.

Word origin

Spanish anhelar comes from Latin anhelāre 'to pant' or 'breathe hard', with the image of panting becoming a metaphor for intense desire.

Usage tips

  • Used mainly in writing or elevated speech to signal strong, often poetic longing while everyday conversation usually uses desear or tener ganas de.

Other meanings

  • craveverb
  • yearn forverb
  • pine forverb

Opposites

  • conformarsesettle forverb

Related words

  • anhelolongingnoun
  • anheladolonged-foradjective

Word lists with this word