desear
vs
hablar

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"Desear" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to want", and "hablar" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to speak". Learn more about the difference between "desear" and "hablar" below.

desear(

deh

seh

ahr

)

A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).

transitive verb

1. (to long for)

a. to want

Solo deseo hacerte feliz.I just want to make you happy.

¿Qué deseas para Navidad?What do you want for Christmas?

b. to wish

El director desea hablar con usted.The director wishes to speak to you.

c. to desire

Los discursos del presidente dejan mucho que desear.The president's speeches leave a lot to be desired.

This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.

no direct translation

"¿Qué desea?", preguntó el mayordomo."How can I help you?," asked the butler.

¿Desea algo de tomar?Would you like something to drink?

2. (to express a desire for)

a. to wish

Les deseé muchos años de felicidad.I wished them many years of happiness.

3. (to desire sexually)

a. to want

"Te deseo", dijo el rompecorazones de la película."I want you," said the heartbreaker in the movie.

hablar(

blahr

)

An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).

intransitive verb

1. (to articulate words)

a. to speak

Los bebés comienzan a hablar a los 18 meses.Babies start speaking at around 18 months.

b. to talk

Escucho a alguien hablando, pero no sé de dónde viene.I can hear someone talking, but I don't know where's it coming from.

2. (to converse)

a. to talk

¿Necesitas a alguien con quien hablar?Do you need someone to talk to?

b. to speak

¿Podemos hablar en privado?Can we speak in private?

3. (to have a conversation)

a. to speak

No se habla de otra cosa.That's all people speak about.

4. (to give a speech)

a. to speak

Habló un buen rato de las reformas que había propuesto el gobierno.He spoke at length about the reforms the government had proposed.

5. (to speak on the phone)

a. to call

Buenas tardes, ¿se encuentra la Sra. Martínez? - ¿Quién habla?Good afternoon, may I speak with Mrs. Martinez? - Who is calling?

A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).

transitive verb

6. (to be able to communicate in)

a. to speak

Hablo cinco idiomas y leo diez.I speak five languages and can read ten.

7. (to deal with)

a. to discuss

Eso tienes que hablarlo directamente con el director.You need to discuss that directly with the principal.

b. to say

¿Verdaderamente no tienes nada de qué hablarme?You really don't have anything to say to me?

8. (to call)

Regionalism used in Argentina

(Argentina)

Regionalism used in El Salvador

(El Salvador)

Regionalism used in Mexico

(Mexico)

a. to phone

Ahora que tienes su número, ¿le vas a hablar?Now that you have her number, are you going to phone her?

hablarse

A reciprocal verb is a verb that indicates that two or more subjects perform an action on each other (e.g., Ellos se abrazan.).

reciprocal verb

9. (to have a conversation; often used with "con")

a. to speak to each other

Se hablan de mala manera.They speak to each other rudely.

b. to talk to each other

Deberían hablarse con más frecuencia para que no surja este tipo de problema.They should talk to each other more often to avoid this type of issue coming up.

c. to speak to

¿Ya no te hablas con la vecina?Don't you speak to your neighbor anymore?

d. to talk to

Los padres de los novios no se hablan.The couple's parents don't talk to each other.

e. to be on speaking terms

Los primos no se hablan después de la pelea sobre la herencia.The cousins aren't on speaking terms after the fight over the inheritance.

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