Spanish Conversation · Level 15
87 words
Spanish word
silbar
Pronunciation
IPA/silˈβaɾ/
Meaning
- verbwhistle
Example
Ella silba una melodía en el parque.
She whistles a melody in the park.
More examples
Al caminar por la calle, me silbaron y me sentí incómodo.
While walking down the street, they whistled at me and I felt uncomfortable.
Core concept
A high, sustained tone produced by blowing air through the lips or between the fingers.
Common phrases
silbar en el estadio
whistle in the stadium
silbar una canción
whistle a tune
silbar a una persona en la calle
whistle at a person in the street
Similar words
chiflar: Makes a focused lip whistle by tightening the lips and forcing a narrow stream of air.
pitar: Produces a brief, piercing high sound from a whistle, horn, or vehicle signal.
soplar: Pushes air from the mouth in a short puff or steady stream to cool or move light things.
Definition in Spanish
Emitir con la boca un sonido agudo y sostenido al expulsar aire por los labios o entre los dedos; usar ese sonido para acompañar una melodía, llamar a alguien o mostrar desaprobación.
Word origin
From Latin sibilare 'to hiss', originally a word for a hissing or shrill sound that developed in Spanish to mean producing a whistle-like tone with breath and the lips.
Usage tips
- Using a short melodic whistle to call a friend is common, but whistling to summon a stranger (especially a woman) can be perceived as rude or as sexual harassment in public.