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"Liar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to roll", and "criar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to raise". Learn more about the difference between "liar" and "criar" below.
liar(
lyahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to prepare)
a. to roll
Suelo fumar cigarros que lío yo mismo porque las cajetillas son más caras.I usually smoke cigarettes that I roll myself because the packs are more expensive.
2. (to bind)
a. to tie up
Asegúrate de liar bien el fardo antes de enviarlo.Make sure you tie up the bundle properly before sending it.
3. (to cover)
a. to wrap
Lie los vasos con un suéter para que no se rompieran durante la mudanza.I wrapped the glasses in a sweater so they wouldn't break during the move.
b. to wrap up
El asesino lio la manta al cadáver y luego lo tiró al mar.The killer wrapped the corpse up in a blanket and then threw it into the sea.
a. to complicate
Las mentiras de los acusados liaron la labor de búsqueda del desaparecido de la policía.The defendant's lies complicated the police's search effort for the missing person.
a. to confuse
Marta lio a Miguel con sus pistas y por eso él dijo la respuesta incorrecta.Marta confused Miguel with her hints, so he gave the wrong answer.
liarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to get confused
Dijiste que no me amabas y ahora dices que sí. ¡Me estoy liando!You said you didn't love me and now you say you do. I'm getting confused!
b. to get mixed up
Perdón, es que me lie. Sus nombres son similares.Sorry, I got mixed up. Your names are similar.
c. to get muddled up
Mi madre se lía con el celular porque no sabe usar el teclado táctil.My mother gets muddled up with her cell phone because she can't use the touch keyboard.
a. to begin
Me lie a escribir postales sin darme cuenta de que no tenía sellos suficientes.I started writing postcards without realizing I didn't have enough stamps.
b. to start
Desde que te liaste a leer libros en francés has aprendido mucho.Ever since you started reading books in French you have learned a lot.
8. (colloquial) (to get embroiled)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to get mixed up
Laura no se quiere liar en los problemas de la familia de su marido.Laura doesn't want to get mixed up in her husband's family's problems.
b. to get involved
Si me lío en este asunto voy a salir perdiendo.If I get involved in this issue, I'll end up worse off.
a. to have an affair
Sara y Mario se liaron en verano y ahora son novios.Sara and Mario had an affair in the summer and now they're together.
b. to hook up (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Ramón se lio con una australiana durante el viaje.Ramon hooked up with an Australian girl on the trip.
criar(
kryahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to nurture)
a. to breastfeed (with breast milk)
La nodriza criaba al bebé en lugar de la madre.The wet nurse breastfed the baby instead of the mother.
b. to feed (with bottle)
Estoy criando a mi bebé con leche maternizada.I'm feeding my baby on formula milk.
c. to breed (allowing reproduction)
Mis tíos criaban pavos en su granja.My uncle and aunt bred turkeys on their farm.
5. (winemaking)
a. to age
La bodega cría todos sus vinos en barricas de roble.The winery ages all its wine in oak barrels.
6. (to produce)
a. to get
Tengo que comer menos porque estoy criando barriga.I need to eat less because I'm getting a belly.
b. to gather (dust or filth)
Esa lámpara rota está ahí criando polvo.That broken lamp is just gathering dust there.
c. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Si los alimentos crían moho, deshágase de ellos inmediatamente.If food goes moldy, get rid of it straight away.
El hombre aullaba mientras sus manos y sus brazos empezaban a criar vello.The man howled as his hands and arms started to become hairy.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
7. (to nurse)
a. to breastfeed (woman)
Me dijo Estefanía que no podía criar.Estefanía told me that she was unable to breastfeed.
9. (to mature)
a. to be aged
Nuestro tequila ha sido criado en barricas durante cinco años.Our tequila has been aged in wooden barrels for five years.
criarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
10. (to develop)
b. to be brought up (person)
Me crié con mis abuelos porque mis padres tuvieron que irse a trabajar al extranjero.I was brought up by my grandparents as my parents had to go and work abroad.
c. to be bred (animal)
Todas las aves que vendemos se crían aquí.All the birds we sell are bred here.
d. to be reared (person or animal)
Estos tigres se criaron en cautividad.These tigers were reared in captivity.
