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"Adivinar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to guess", and "acertar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to get right". Learn more about the difference between "adivinar" and "acertar" below.
adivinar(
ah
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dee
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bee
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nahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to predict
Esa adivina es increíble; realmente puede adivinar el futuro.That fortune teller is incredible; she can really predict the future.
a. to discern
A partir del lenguaje corporal de Susana, Ernesto adivinó que ella quería irse.Ernesto discerned from Susana's body language that she wanted to leave.
adivinarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to make out
Desde la parte superior del edificio, se adivina la estatua.From the top of the building, you can make out the statue.
acertar(
ah
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sehr
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tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to get right
De las 15 preguntas en la prueba, solo acerté cuatro.Of the 15 questions on the quiz, I only got four right.
b. to guess correctly
¿Todavía gano algún dinero si acerté cinco de los seis números de la lotería?Do I still win some money if I guessed five of the six lottery numbers correctly?
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to hit the target
Probé suerte con el tiro con arco, pero no acerté ni con una sola flecha.I tried my hand at archery but didn't hit the target with a single arrow.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
No acerté al comprarle a mi esposa una aspiradora para nuestro aniversario.It was a mistake to have bought my wife a vacuum cleaner for our anniversary.
Acertaste cuando dijiste que me iría bien en la entrevista. ¡Me ofrecieron el puesto!You were right when you said the interview would go well. They offered me the position!
a. to find
¿Tuvieron algún problema acertando con la casa?Did you have any trouble finding the house?
a. to manage to
Acerté a conducir el carro hasta casa, aunque nunca antes había conducido un carro de transmisión manual.I managed to drive the car home, although I'd never before driven a manual transmission car.
