Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
How to Say Swallow in Spanish: Tragar or Golondrina
Tragar · verb · trah-GAHR
Swallow in Spanish is tragar (the verb, to swallow food or liquid) or golondrina (the migratory bird).
Tragar is trah-GAHR, two syllables with stress on GAHR. Golondrina is goh-lohn-DREE-nah.
La pastilla es grande pero intenta tragarla con agua.
The pill is big but try to swallow it with water.
Swallow in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for swallow, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| tragar | swallow | trah-GAHR | Default, widely understood |
| golondrina | swallow | the bird |
How Native Speakers Use Tragar
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Taking medicine
No puedo tragar esta cápsula, es demasiado grande.
I can't swallow this capsule, it's too big.
Taking medication.
The bird
Las golondrinas regresan cada primavera al mismo nido.
The swallows return every spring to the same nest.
Nature observation about the bird.
Figurative expression
Tuvo que tragarse su orgullo y pedir disculpas.
He had to swallow his pride and apologize.
Figurative use meaning to suppress feelings.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Tragar
Mixing up meanings
Incorrect: Vi un tragar volando sobre el río.
Correct: Vi una golondrina volando sobre el río.
Tragar is the verb to swallow; the bird called a swallow is golondrina.
Reflexive confusion
Incorrect: Me tragué un golondrina.
Correct: Vi una golondrina. / Me tragué la pastilla.
Don't mix the bird (golondrina) with the verb (tragar); tragarse means to swallow something down.
Lock in Swallow 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 Tragar used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using tragar in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear La pastilla es grande pero intenta tragarla con agua. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
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Common Questions About Swallow in Spanish
- How do you say swallow in Spanish?
- The verb to swallow is tragar (as in swallowing food or drink), while the bird known as a swallow is called golondrina—two completely unrelated meanings.
- What does tragarse el orgullo mean?
- Tragarse el orgullo literally means to swallow one's pride, an idiomatic expression used when someone must humble themselves and accept a difficult situation or apologize.
- Are swallows (golondrinas) culturally significant in Spanish?
- Golondrinas hold symbolic importance in many Spanish-speaking cultures as harbingers of spring and good fortune, and their return migration is celebrated in several Latin American traditions.