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"Cantar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to sing", and "entonar" is a transitive verb which is also often translated as "to sing". Learn more about the difference between "cantar" and "entonar" below.
cantar(
kahn
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (music)
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
3. (music)
4. (to snitch)
a. to confess (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Cantó tras horas de interrogatorio.He confessed after hours of interrogation.
5. (colloquial) (to smell badly)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to stink (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Te canta el aliento por las mañanas.Your breath stinks in the morning.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
6. (literature)
entonar(
ehn
-
toh
-
nahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (music)
a. to modulate
Todos entonamos la voz de acuerdo a la persona con quien hablamos.We all modulate our voice according to the person we are speaking to.
a. to tone up
La fisioterapeuta recomendó al paciente que entonara sus músculos nadando.The physical therapist recommended that the patient swim to tone up his muscles.
4. (to enliven)
a. to liven up
Este aderezo de naranja y nueces entonará tus ensaladas.This orange and walnut dressing will liven up your salads.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to match
Esta gama de azules no entona con el resto de colores de la habitación.This range of blues doesn't match the other colors in the room.
a. to sing in tune
Los únicos requerimientos para ser miembro del coro son saber entonar y leer música.The only requirements to join the choir are to know how to read music and sing in tune.
entonarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
7. (colloquial) (to become more lively)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to perk up
En las tardes cuando empiezo a cansarme, me entono tomando té de jengibre.When I start getting tired in the afternoon, I perk up by drinking ginger tea.
a. to get tipsy (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Julia se entonó rápidamente con el primer vaso de vino que tomó.Julia quickly got tipsy on the first glass of wine she drank.
b. to get merry (colloquial) (United Kingdom)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Llegué tarde a la fiesta así que me entoné tomando un poco de cerveza.I arrived late at the party so I got merry by drinking some beer.
