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"Abrasar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to burn", and "quemar" is a transitive verb which is also often translated as "to burn". Learn more about the difference between "abrasar" and "quemar" below.
abrasar(
ah
-
brah
-
sahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to blaze)
a. to burn
A pesar del esfuerzo de los bomberos, las llamas abrasaron todo el bosque.Despite the firefighters' efforts, the flames burned the entire forest.
2. (to scald)
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to burn
¡Este estofado abrasa! Todavía no puedo comerlo.This stew is burning! I can't eat it yet.
b. to be boiling hot
La salsa abrasa. Espera a que se enfríe un poco.The sauce is boiling hot. Wait until it cools down.
abrasarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
5. (to be hot)
a. to swelter
¡Me estoy abrasando de calor! ¿Puedes prender el aire acondicionado?I'm sweltering in here! Can you turn on the air conditioner?
a. to be burned down
El trigal se abrasó completamente, provocando graves pérdidas para el granjero.The farmer suffered a great loss as the wheat field was burned down entirely.
a. to be parched
El campo se abrasó debido a la falta de lluvias.The field was parched due to the lack of rain.
quemar(
keh
-
mahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to scorch)
a. to burn
Quemaron madera seca en la chimenea para calentar el local.They burned dry wood in the fireplace to heat the place up.
b. to set fire to
Fogatas desatendidas pueden quemar los bosques circundantes.Unattended forest fires can set fire to the surrounding woods.
c. to scald
Me quemé los pies con agua hirviendo del jacuzzi.I scalded my feet in the boiling water of the jacuzzi.
3. (computing)
a. to burn
Estoy quemando un CD con música para nuestro viaje largo en carro.I'm burning a CD with music for our long car ride.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
4. (to scorch)
a. to be boiling hot
Acabo de sacar la tetera de la estufa y quema.I just took the teapot off the stove top and it's boiling hot.
quemarse
A reflexive verb is a verb that indicates that the subject performs an action on itself (e.g., Miguel se lava.).
b. to get burned (United States)
Regionalism used in the United States
Me quemé mientras me bronceaba en el techo.I got burned while tanning on the roof.
c. to get burnt (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Se quemó con todo el vapor en el spa.She got burnt by all of the steam at the spa.
6. (to tire of)
a. to burn out
Después de cinco horas tomando el examen, me empecé a quemar.After five hours taking the test, I started to burn out.
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to get burned
Todos los libros de la biblioteca se quemaron en el incendio.All the library books got burned in the fire.
b. to get burnt
¿Se quemaron los títulos de propiedad de la casa sin dejar ni rastro?Did the title deeds to the house get burnt leaving no trace?
c. to burn down
La iglesia se quemó en 1957, y en su lugar se construyó un aparcamiento.The church burned down in 1957, and a car park was built in its place.
a. to get burned
La mesa se quemó porque alguien le puso una sartén caliente encima.The table got burned because someone put a hot frying pan on it.
b. to get burnt
Al quitar la cazuela del fuego, se me quemó un poco la manga.When I removed the saucepan from the heat, my sleeve got a little burnt.
9. (culinary)
a. to burn
Olvidé que tenía el pollo en el horno y se quemó.I forgot I had the chicken in the oven and it burned.
a. to go down in flames
La carrera del famoso se quemó después del escándalo con la niñera.The celebrity's career went down in flames after the scandal with the nanny.
b. to crash and burn
Mi próximo movimiento es tan riesgoso que voy a ganar o quemarme.My next move is so risky that I will either win or crash and burn.
