Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Embrace in Spanish: Abrazo & Abrazar

Abrazo · noun (masculine) / verb · ah-BRAH-soh

Abrazo is the Spanish noun meaning embrace or hug. The verb is abrazar. For figurative embrace (to accept), Spanish uses acoger or adoptar.

ah-BRAH-soh (abrazo) · ah-brah-SAHR (abrazar)

Le dio un abrazo fuerte después de tanto tiempo sin verse.

She gave him a tight embrace after so long without seeing each other.

Embrace in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for embrace, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

SpanishEnglishPronunciationRegion / Register
abrazoembraceah-BRAH-sohDefault, widely understood
abrazarembraceverb: to embrace / to hug
acogerembraceembrace in the sense of accepting or welcoming

How Native Speakers Use Abrazo

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Greeting someone

Los amigos se dieron un abrazo al reencontrarse en el aeropuerto.

The friends embraced when they reunited at the airport.

Darse un abrazo is the standard reciprocal construction.

Letter closing

Un abrazo fuerte. Cuídate mucho.

A big embrace. Take care.

Un abrazo is one of the most common warm sign-offs in Spanish.

Figurative embrace

La empresa decidió acoger las nuevas tecnologías.

The company decided to embrace new technologies.

For figurative embrace (accept, adopt), use acoger or adoptar, not abrazar.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Abrazo

Using abrazar figuratively

Incorrect: Debemos abrazar el cambio climático.

Correct: Debemos aceptar la realidad del cambio climático.

Abrazar is physical. For figurative embrace, use aceptar, adoptar, or acoger.

Spelling: abrasar vs abrazar

Incorrect: Te quiero abrasar.

Correct: Te quiero abrazar.

Abrasar (with s) = to burn. Abrazar (with z) = to hug. One letter changes meaning entirely.

Lock in Embrace Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Abrazo used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using abrazo in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Le dio un abrazo fuerte después de tanto tiempo sin verse. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Embrace in Spanish

How do you say embrace in Spanish?
The noun is abrazo and the verb is abrazar. Un abrazo is also a warm letter sign-off.
Is abrazo the same as hug?
Abrazo covers both hug and embrace in Spanish — no separate word exists.
How do you sign off a letter warmly?
Un abrazo or un fuerte abrazo are among the warmest sign-offs, used between friends and family.