How do you say update in Spanish?

Update in Spanish is actualizar (verb) or actualización (noun). Voy a actualizar la aplicación means I'm going to update the app. Use poner al día when you're updating a person on news, not a system.

How do you pronounce actualizar?

Pronounce actualizar as ahk-twah-lee-SAHR, with the stress on the final syllable. The c sounds like a soft k, the z sounds like an s in Latin America (and like a soft th in most of Spain).

What's the difference between actualizar and poner al día?

Actualizar is for systems, software, records, and information (Voy a actualizar mi teléfono). Poner al día is for catching a person up on news (Te pongo al día). Both translate as update, but you'd never actualizar a friend.

How do I remember update in Spanish?

Hear actualizar used in real native-speaker contexts. Parrot's videos show creators saying voy a actualizar la app or te pongo al día in everyday situations, so the verb sticks with its real-life context instead of as a dictionary entry.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Update in Spanish: How to Say Actualizar Like a Native Speaker

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Actualizar · verb · ahk-twah-lee-SAHR

Update in Spanish is actualizar, a regular -ar verb used for everything from updating software to catching a friend up on news. The noun form is actualización.

Stress falls on the final syllable: ahk-twah-lee-SAHR. The double l in actualizándose is a soft y sound, not a hard double-l.

Voy a actualizar la aplicación.

I'm going to update the app.

Update in Spanish: Quick Reference

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

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
actualizar	update	ahk-twah-lee-SAHR	Default, widely understood
poner al día	update		phrasing for catching someone up
actualización	update		noun form: an update

How Native Speakers Use Actualizar

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

Updating software or apps

Tienes que actualizar tu teléfono antes de instalar la aplicación.

You have to update your phone before installing the app.

Most everyday context for actualizar in 2026, technology and software.

Catching someone up on news

Te pongo al día con todo lo que pasó anoche.

Let me catch you up on everything that happened last night.

When you're updating a person, poner al día sounds more natural than actualizar.

Updating records or information

Necesito actualizar mi dirección en el banco.

I need to update my address at the bank.

For formal records, profiles, accounts, actualizar is the right verb.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Actualizar

Using updatear (Spanglish) in formal Spanish

Incorrect: Voy a updatear la app.

Correct: Voy a actualizar la app.

Updatear is common in casual tech speech, especially in the U.S., but it sounds informal and English-borrowed. Actualizar is the standard verb in any setting.

Pronouncing the c like an English k-s

Incorrect: ak-too-uh-LEYZ-er

Correct: ahk-twah-lee-SAHR

Anglicizing every vowel makes you hard to understand. Spanish vowels are short and pure: a, e, i, o, u. Native-speaker exposure smooths this out faster than drilling phonetics.

Lock in Update 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 Actualizar used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using actualizar in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Voy a actualizar la aplicación. 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 Update in Spanish

How do you say update in Spanish?: Update in Spanish is actualizar (verb) or actualización (noun). Voy a actualizar la aplicación means I'm going to update the app. Use poner al día when you're updating a person on news, not a system.
How do you pronounce actualizar?: Pronounce actualizar as ahk-twah-lee-SAHR, with the stress on the final syllable. The c sounds like a soft k, the z sounds like an s in Latin America (and like a soft th in most of Spain).
What's the difference between actualizar and poner al día?: Actualizar is for systems, software, records, and information (Voy a actualizar mi teléfono). Poner al día is for catching a person up on news (Te pongo al día). Both translate as update, but you'd never actualizar a friend.
How do I remember update in Spanish?: Hear actualizar used in real native-speaker contexts. Parrot's videos show creators saying voy a actualizar la app or te pongo al día in everyday situations, so the verb sticks with its real-life context instead of as a dictionary entry.