What does aplicar in Spanish mean?

What is the meaning of the word aplicar in Spanish? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use aplicar in Spanish.

The word aplicar in Spanish means apply, apply, employ, use, apply yourself, apply, apply to the world, apply according to, apply knowledge in a practical way, apply daily to, euthanize, enforce the current law, carry out measures, put measures in place, apply warm towels, apply equally, apply the full weight of the law, enforce a punishment, apply a discount, give a cursory examination, apply a formula, apply a law, enforce a law, apply a hold, use a hold, carry out a sentence, issue a sentence. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word aplicar

apply

verbo transitivo (poner sustancia en algo)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
La pintura de la pared se aplica con rodillo.
A roller is used to apply the wall paint.

apply, employ, use

verbo transitivo (emplear, usar)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Aplicó sus conocimientos para hallar la solución al problema.
He applied his knowledge to solve the problem.

apply yourself

verbo pronominal (esmerarse)

(transitive verb and reflexive pronoun: Transitive verb with reflexive pronoun--for example, "Enjoy yourself." "They behaved themselves.")
Para aprobar hay que aplicarse en el estudio.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. You need to apply yourself to your work if you want to get promoted.

apply

verbo pronominal (derecho: norma, decisión) (formal, often passive)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
Lo pactado se aplicará a partir del próximo mes.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. The agreed conditions will be applied from April.

apply to the world

locución verbal (aplicar al terreno)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Los principios del marketing pueden aplicarse al mundo del deporte.
The principles of marketing apply to the world of sport.

apply according to

(emplear según)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. The governor can apply a tax increase according to recent legislation

apply knowledge in a practical way

locución verbal (llevar a la práctica)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

apply daily to

locución verbal (medicina: crema)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Debes aplicar este crema diariamente sobre el tatuaje durante dos semanas.
You should apply this cream to the tattoo daily for two weeks.

euthanize

locución verbal (provocar la muerte) (US)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
En muy pocos países es legal aplicar la eutanasia.
There are very few countries where it is legal to euthanize.

enforce the current law

locución verbal (juzgar según la ley)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Debemos aplicar la ley en vigencia y no permitir más atropellos.
We must enforce the current law and not allow any more abuses.

carry out measures, put measures in place

locución verbal (actuar)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Se aplicarán medidas sobre todos aquellos que cometan infracciones.

apply warm towels

locución verbal (literal (zona dolorida)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Aplica paños calientes al enfermo para aplacar su dolor.
Apply warm towels on the sick person to soothe their pain.

apply equally

locución verbal (tratar por igual)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Las leyes se aplican por igual a todos.
Laws apply equally to everyone.

apply the full weight of the law

locución verbal (juzgar sin indulgencia)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Cuando por fin lo agarraron, le aplicaron todo el peso de la ley.
When at last they got him, they applied the full weight of the law.

enforce a punishment

locución verbal (poner un castigo)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Los padres aplicaron un castigo a sus hijos por haber robado dulces de la tienda.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. She was punished for failing all of her exams.

apply a discount

locución verbal (descontar, rebajar)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Como el cliente se quejó, aplicaron un descuento sobre su factura final.
As the customer complained, a discount was applied to the final bill.

give a cursory examination

locución verbal (poner examen, examinar) (before buying)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Le aplicaron un examen superficial antes de comprarlo.
They gave it a cursory examination before buying it.

apply a formula

locución verbal (usar una fórmula)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Para resolver el ejercicio hay que aplicar una fórmula matemática.
You need to apply a mathematical formula in order to solve the exercise.

apply a law, enforce a law

locución verbal (cumplir con lo legislado)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Los funcionarios deben asegurarse de aplicar una ley correspondiente según el caso.
Employees should make sure they apply the appropriate law according to the case.

apply a hold, use a hold

locución verbal (lucha: usar una llave)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
El luchador aplicó una llave sobre su contrincante.

carry out a sentence, issue a sentence

locución verbal (castigar)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
El juez aplicó una pena de seis años sobre el criminal.

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So now that you know more about the meaning of aplicar in Spanish, you can learn how to use them through selected examples and how to read them. And remember to learn the related words that we suggest. Our website is constantly updating with new words and new examples so you can look up the meanings of other words you don't know in Spanish.

Do you know about Spanish

Spanish (español), also known as Castilla, is a language of the Iberian-Romance group of the Romance languages, and the 4th most common language in the world according to Some sources, while others list it as a 2nd or 3rd most common language. It is the mother tongue of about 352 million people, and is spoken by 417 million people when adding its speakers as a language. sub (estimated in 1999). Spanish and Portuguese have very similar grammar and vocabulary; The number of similar vocabulary of these two languages is up to 89%. Spanish is the primary language of 20 countries around the world. It is estimated that the total number of speakers of Spanish is between 470 and 500 million, making it the second most widely spoken language in the world by number of native speakers.