respirar
intransitive verb
1 (tomar aire) to breathe
no respires por la boca don't breathe through your mouth; respire hondo take a deep breath; breathe deeply; respirar con dificultad to breathe with difficulty; salí al balcón a respirar un poco I went out to the balcony to get some air
2 (descansar)
estos niños no me dejan ni tiempo para respirar these children don't give me time to breathe; tengo tanto trabajo que no puedo ni respirar I'm up to my ears o eyes in work; sin respirar without a break; without respite
3 (sentir alivio) to breathe again
¡respiro! I can breathe again!; what a relief!; respirar aliviado to breathe a sigh of relief
respirar tranquilo to breathe easily o freely (again)
transitive verb
1 [+aire, oxígeno] to breathe
necesito respirar un poco de aire fresco I need to get some fresh air
se podía respirar el aroma de las flores you could breathe in the smell of the flowers; se respiraba un aire cargado de humo the air was thick with smoke
2 (mostrar) [+optimismo, felicidad] to exude; radiate
respira confianza she exudes o radiates confidence
3 (notar)
se respiraba un ambiente festivo en la manifestación there was an air of festivity at the demonstration; se respiraba ya un ambiente prebélico there was a sense of war in the air; ¿cuál es el clima que se respira en el país tras el atentado? what is the feeling in the country following the bomb attack?
