When you exagerar, you make something seem bigger or more important than it actually is. It's like telling a story where you add extra details to make it more exciting, even if those details aren't completely true. Think of it as stretching the truth a little. For example, if you say a tiny bug was a giant monster, you are using exagerar. It's a common word to describe when someone overstates something.
How Formal Is It?
"Le ruego que no exagere los hechos para evitar malentendidos."
"No tienes que exagerar lo que pasó."
"¡Ay, no hagas un drama por algo tan pequeño!"
"No cuentes cuentos, di la verdad."
"Deja de echarle crema a la historia, ¿qué pasó de verdad?"
Fun Fact
The word 'exaggerate' in English also comes from the same Latin root.
Grammar to Know
Regular -ar verb conjugation: 'exagerar' follows the regular conjugation pattern for verbs ending in -ar. You will change the ending depending on the subject pronoun and tense.
Yo exagero (I exaggerate), Tú exageras (You exaggerate), Él/Ella/Usted exagera (He/She/You exaggerate).
Using 'no' for negation: To negate 'exagerar', simply place 'no' before the conjugated verb.
No exageres. (Don't exaggerate.)
Imperative form: To tell someone not to exaggerate, use the negative imperative.
¡No exageres! (Don't exaggerate!)
Reflexive form (less common, but possible): While 'exagerar' is usually used transitively, you can occasionally hear 'exagerarse' to emphasize that someone is exaggerating about themselves or their own situation.
Se exagera con sus logros. (He exaggerates about his achievements.)
Gerund form: The gerund 'exagerando' (exaggerating) is used with 'estar' to form the present progressive.
Estás exagerando. (You are exaggerating.)
Examples by Level
¡No exageres! No fue para tanto.
Don't exaggerate! It wasn't a big deal.
Here, 'no exageres' is in the imperative mood, giving a direct command. 'No fue para tanto' is a common phrase meaning 'it wasn't that serious' or 'it wasn't a big deal'.
Siempre exagera sus historias para hacerlas más interesantes.
He always exaggerates his stories to make them more interesting.
The present tense 'exagera' indicates a habitual action. 'Para hacerlas' uses the infinitive 'hacer' with the pronoun 'las' attached, meaning 'to make them'.
Creo que estás exagerando la dificultad del examen.
I think you are exaggerating the difficulty of the exam.
The present progressive 'estás exagerando' emphasizes an ongoing action. 'La dificultad' is a feminine noun.
La prensa suele exagerar los eventos para vender más periódicos.
The press usually exaggerates events to sell more newspapers.
'Suele exagerar' uses the verb 'soler' (to usually do something) followed by an infinitive, indicating a frequent action. 'Para vender' uses the infinitive 'vender' to express purpose.
No hay necesidad de exagerar, la situación es manejable.
There's no need to exaggerate, the situation is manageable.
'No hay necesidad de' is a common construction meaning 'there is no need to'. 'Manejable' is an adjective meaning 'manageable'.
Ella tiene la tendencia a exagerar sus problemas para conseguir atención.
She has a tendency to exaggerate her problems to get attention.
'Tener la tendencia a' means 'to have the tendency to'. 'Conseguir atención' means 'to get attention'.
A veces, las noticias pueden exagerar la magnitud de los desastres naturales.
Sometimes, the news can exaggerate the magnitude of natural disasters.
'Pueden exagerar' uses the verb 'poder' (can) followed by an infinitive. 'La magnitud' is a feminine noun.
Si no quieres exagerar, sé honesto con los detalles.
If you don't want to exaggerate, be honest with the details.
'Si no quieres exagerar' uses 'querer' (to want) followed by an infinitive. 'Sé honesto' is an imperative command, meaning 'be honest'.
Word Origin
Latin
Original meaning: to heap up, to exaggerate
Indo-EuropeanCultural Context
The concept of exaggeration is pretty universal, but in Spanish-speaking cultures, you might find it used quite expressively in storytelling or even in everyday conversation to add emphasis or humor. It's often done playfully.
Test Yourself 90 questions
She is going to exaggerate the price.
I don't like to exaggerate things.
He always likes to exaggerate.
Read this aloud:
No exageres, por favor.
Focus: exageres
You said:
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Read this aloud:
A veces exagero un poco.
Focus: exagero
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Él exagera sus historias.
Focus: exagera
You said:
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No quiero ___ la situación, pero es grave. (Don't want to ___ the situation, but it's serious.)
The context implies making the situation seem worse, which is the meaning of 'exagerar'.
Ella siempre tiende a ___ un poco. (She always tends to ___ a little.)
'Exagerar' fits the context of someone making things seem more significant.
No debes ___ tanto sobre tus problemas. (You shouldn't ___ so much about your problems.)
To 'exagerar' about problems means to make them seem bigger than they are.
A veces es bueno ___ un poco para ser divertido. (Sometimes it's good to ___ a little to be funny.)
In humor, 'exagerar' can mean to overstate for comedic effect.
El reportero le gusta ___ las noticias. (The reporter likes to ___ the news.)
Reporters sometimes 'exagerar' to make news more sensational.
No hay necesidad de ___ la verdad. (There's no need to ___ the truth.)
To 'exagerar' the truth means to make it seem more or less than it is.
Someone is being told not to exaggerate.
The speaker is talking about someone who exaggerates stories.
A question asking if the speaker is exaggerating.
Read this aloud:
No deberías exagerar.
Focus: ex-a-je-rar
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Ella siempre exagera un poco.
Focus: e-lla, siem-pre, ex-a-je-ra
You said:
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Read this aloud:
No me gusta exagerar.
Focus: no me gus-ta ex-a-je-rar
You said:
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Your friend told you a story that seems a little unbelievable. Write a short sentence in Spanish telling them they might be exaggerating.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Creo que exageras un poco.
Write a sentence in Spanish explaining why it's sometimes bad to exaggerate.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Exagerar puede ser malo porque no es decir la verdad.
Imagine you're describing a big fish you caught. Write a sentence in Spanish where you admit you might be exaggerating a little about its size.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
El pez era enorme, quizás exagero un poco.
¿Qué hace la abuela con los detalles de sus historias?
Read this passage:
Mi abuela siempre cuenta historias muy emocionantes. A veces, ella tiende a exagerar los detalles para hacerlas más interesantes. Por ejemplo, dice que vio un ratón del tamaño de un gato.
¿Qué hace la abuela con los detalles de sus historias?
The passage states that 'ella tiende a exagerar los detalles para hacerlas más interesantes.'
The passage states that 'ella tiende a exagerar los detalles para hacerlas más interesantes.'
¿Cuál es un ejemplo de exageración de Carlos?
Read this passage:
Carlos es un amigo divertido, pero a veces le gusta exagerar. Ayer dijo que corrió cien kilómetros, ¡pero solo fue al parque que está cerca de su casa!
¿Cuál es un ejemplo de exageración de Carlos?
Carlos said he ran a hundred kilometers, but he only went to the park, which is an exaggeration.
Carlos said he ran a hundred kilometers, but he only went to the park, which is an exaggeration.
¿Qué prefiere la persona que habla?
Read this passage:
No me gusta cuando la gente empieza a exagerar sobre cosas pequeñas. Prefiero la verdad, aunque no sea tan emocionante. La honestidad es importante.
¿Qué prefiere la persona que habla?
The speaker states 'Prefiero la verdad, aunque no sea tan emocionante.'
The speaker states 'Prefiero la verdad, aunque no sea tan emocionante.'
Choose the best translation for 'No quiero exagerar, pero la comida era deliciosa.'
'Exagerar' means 'to exaggerate'.
Which sentence uses 'exagerar' correctly?
To exaggerate problems means to make them seem worse than they are.
If someone says 'No debes exagerar', what do they mean?
The infinitive 'exagerar' means 'to exaggerate', and 'debes' means 'you should'.
It is common to use 'exagerar' to describe someone telling a small lie.
Exaggeration often involves stretching the truth, which can be seen as a small lie.
The sentence 'Él exageró su velocidad para ganar la carrera' means he slowed down to win the race.
If he 'exageró su velocidad', it means he made it seem faster than it was, not slower.
If you 'exageras la verdad', you are telling the absolute truth without any embellishment.
'Exagerar la verdad' means to stretch or overstate the truth, not to tell it plainly.
Someone is telling another person not to exaggerate about a movie.
This person always exaggerates their stories.
Someone is asking if their worry is an exaggeration.
Read this aloud:
No deberías exagerar los problemas, a veces son más pequeños de lo que parecen.
Focus: e-xa-ge-rar
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Él tiene la costumbre de exagerar un poco la verdad.
Focus: cos-tum-bre de e-xa-ge-rar
You said:
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Read this aloud:
A veces es difícil saber si está bromeando o exagerando.
Focus: bro-mean-do o e-xa-ge-ran-do
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Someone is downplaying a situation.
Asking if someone is making a story seem more dramatic than it was.
Someone enjoys making things seem more exciting.
Read this aloud:
No deberías exagerar la gravedad de la situación.
Focus: exagerar, gravedad
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Él tiende a exagerar sus logros para impresionar a la gente.
Focus: tiende, exagerar, logros, impresionar
You said:
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Read this aloud:
A veces es difícil no exagerar cuando estás muy emocionado.
Focus: difícil, exagerar, emocionado
You said:
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Describe a time you or someone you know exaggerated a story. What was the situation and why was it exaggerated?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Recuerdo una vez que mi amigo exageró mucho un pez que pescó. Dijo que era enorme, como un tiburón, pero en realidad, era bastante pequeño. Creo que lo hizo para impresionar a los demás.
In what situations do people often exaggerate? Give two examples and explain why they might do it.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
La gente a menudo exagera en las entrevistas de trabajo para parecer más cualificada o en las redes sociales para hacer sus vidas más interesantes. Lo hacen para mejorar su imagen o para conseguir atención.
Write a short paragraph about the difference between telling a white lie and exaggerating. Provide an example of each.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Una mentira piadosa es una pequeña mentira que se dice para evitar herir los sentimientos de alguien, como decir que te gusta un regalo que no te gusta. Exagerar, en cambio, es hacer que algo parezca más grande o más importante de lo que es, como decir que esperaste horas por algo cuando solo fueron unos minutos.
¿Cuál es la actitud del público hacia el actor que exagera?
Read this passage:
En la obra de teatro, el actor principal siempre tiende a exagerar sus gestos y expresiones para darle un toque más dramático a la historia. Aunque a algunos críticos les parece excesivo, al público le encanta su energía en el escenario y cómo logra transmitir las emociones de manera tan intensa.
¿Cuál es la actitud del público hacia el actor que exagera?
El pasaje indica que 'al público le encanta su energía en el escenario y cómo logra transmitir las emociones de manera tan intensa.'
El pasaje indica que 'al público le encanta su energía en el escenario y cómo logra transmitir las emociones de manera tan intensa.'
¿Por qué el abuelo exagera sus historias?
Read this passage:
Mi abuelo siempre ha sido un poco bromista y le encanta exagerar sus historias de juventud. Cuenta que una vez cazó un oso con sus propias manos, aunque sabemos que solo era una ardilla. A pesar de que sabemos que no es cierto, sus relatos siempre nos divierten mucho y nos hacen reír.
¿Por qué el abuelo exagera sus historias?
El pasaje dice que 'sus relatos siempre nos divierten mucho y nos hacen reír', indicando que su propósito es el entretenimiento.
El pasaje dice que 'sus relatos siempre nos divierten mucho y nos hacen reír', indicando que su propósito es el entretenimiento.
¿Qué puede causar la exageración de una situación, según el texto?
Read this passage:
Es importante no exagerar la gravedad de una situación, especialmente cuando se trata de noticias o rumores. La desinformación puede causar pánico innecesario y tener consecuencias negativas. Siempre es mejor presentar los hechos tal como son y evitar alarmar a la gente sin motivo.
¿Qué puede causar la exageración de una situación, según el texto?
El pasaje afirma que 'La desinformación puede causar pánico innecesario y tener consecuencias negativas.'
El pasaje afirma que 'La desinformación puede causar pánico innecesario y tener consecuencias negativas.'
This sentence means 'One shouldn't exaggerate with problems.' It uses 'exagerar' in a common idiomatic expression.
This sentence means 'She tends to exaggerate things when she is angry.' It shows 'exagerar' used with a person's tendency.
This sentence means 'Please, don't exaggerate the situation more than it is.' It uses 'exagerar' in a polite command.
Choose the best synonym for 'exagerar' in the context of describing a story.
'Adornar' (to embellish/decorate) can imply adding details to make something more interesting, similar to exaggerating. The other options suggest the opposite.
Which of the following phrases conveys the idea of exaggeration?
'Ponerle color' (to add color) is an idiom meaning to make something more interesting or dramatic, often by exaggerating. The other options suggest being factual or direct.
In which situation would it be most appropriate to say someone is 'exagerando'?
Exaggeration involves adding excessive drama or embellishment to a description, making it larger or more impactful than reality. The other options describe factual or understated accounts.
If someone describes a small inconvenience as 'the end of the world', they are likely exaggerating.
Describing a minor issue as 'the end of the world' is a classic example of exaggeration, as it represents something far worse than it actually is.
A person who always tells things exactly as they happened, without adding extra details, is exaggerating.
Someone who tells things exactly as they happened is being factual and realistic, which is the opposite of exaggerating.
To 'exagerar' can sometimes be used to add humor to a story.
Exaggeration is a common comedic device. By making something seem more extreme than it is, it can often become humorous.
The witness exaggerated details.
Don't overstate a single mistake.
He liked to exaggerate his adventure.
Read this aloud:
Es fácil exagerar la verdad cuando se quiere impresionar a alguien.
Focus: exagerar
You said:
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Read this aloud:
¿Crees que los medios de comunicación suelen exagerar las noticias para aumentar la audiencia?
Focus: medios de comunicación, audiencia
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
A veces, al contar una historia, la gente tiende a exagerar un poco para hacerla más entretenida.
Focus: contar, entretenida
You said:
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This sentence means 'You should not exaggerate the seriousness of the problem.' The order follows a typical Spanish sentence structure.
This sentence means 'She always tends to exaggerate her achievements.' The verb 'tender a' (to tend to) is followed by the infinitive 'exagerar'.
This sentence means 'Even if you want to impress, you shouldn't exaggerate your experience.' The subjunctive 'quieras' is used after 'aunque' when expressing a possibility.
Which of these situations most clearly demonstrates someone exaggerating?
Exaggeration involves making something seem more significant than it is. The chef's description goes beyond objective reality.
In a formal debate, why might an opponent accuse someone of 'exaggerating the impact' of a policy?
To 'exaggerate the impact' means to present the effects as being greater than they actually are, either positively or negatively.
Which of the following phrases is synonymous with 'exagerar' in a context where someone is being overly dramatic?
'Hacer un drama' (to make a drama) implies an over-the-top reaction, which aligns with the concept of exaggeration.
If a person claims to have waited 'an eternity' for a bus that arrived five minutes late, they are exaggerating.
Claiming to wait 'an eternity' for a five-minute delay is a clear overstatement of the actual time spent waiting, thus it's an exaggeration.
A news report that presents all available evidence objectively is an example of journalistic exaggeration.
Objective reporting means presenting facts without overstating or understating them. Exaggeration involves distorting the truth, which is the opposite of objective reporting.
When an artist uses hyperbole in a poem to emphasize an emotion, they are engaging in a form of exaggeration.
Hyperbole is a literary device that involves extreme exaggeration for emphasis or effect, making it a form of exaggeration.
The witness tended to ______ the details of the accident.
I don't want to ______, but I think this is the best paella I've ever tasted.
To make a good impression, people sometimes ______ their professional achievements.
Read this aloud:
Es crucial no exagerar las promesas para evitar decepcionar a los clientes.
Focus: e-xa-ge-rar pro-me-sas
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
¿Crees que los medios de comunicación suelen exagerar las noticias para captar más audiencia?
Focus: me-dios e-xa-ge-rar no-ti-cias
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Siempre se le ha dado bien exagerar sus problemas para conseguir la compasión de los demás.
Focus: siem-pre e-xa-ge-rar pro-ble-mas
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence structure is common when discussing someone's tendency to exaggerate. 'Siempre' (always) indicates a habitual action, followed by the verb 'tender' (to tend) and the infinitive 'exagerar' (to exaggerate), then 'sus logros' (their achievements) as the object.
This sentence advises against overstating the problem's importance. 'No debes' (you should not) is a common way to give advice, followed by 'exagerar' (to exaggerate) and 'la importancia del problema' (the importance of the problem) as the direct object.
This sentence expresses that it's normal for children to exaggerate their stories. 'Es natural que' (it's natural that) introduces a subjunctive clause, thus 'exageren' (they exaggerate) is in the subjunctive mood, followed by 'sus historias' (their stories).
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Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
More communication words
acento
A2A distinctive manner of pronunciation; a stress on a syllable.
aceptar
A1To accept.
acerca de
A2On the subject of; regarding; about.
acertado
A2Correct, appropriate, or well-chosen.
aclaración
A2Clarification, the action of making something clearer.
aclarar
B1To make something clearer or easier to understand; to clarify.
aconsejar
A2To advise; to give counsel or guidance.
acuerdo
A2An agreement or a mutual understanding.
de acuerdo
A1okay, agreed
Adiós
A1Goodbye
