Puedes besar a la novia.
You may kiss the bride.
This is the line that closes a wedding ceremony. Notice the a in besar a la novia, because you're kissing a person.
From Dr. House · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "kiss" in Spanish
el beso
noun: el besoverb: besarplural: los besos
"Kiss" in Spanish is el beso, and the verb "to kiss" is besar. People often say dar un beso, to give a kiss: Dale un beso a la abuela. When you kiss a person, besar takes a: besar a la novia.
Hear "beso" and "besar" in real movie scenes
The verb at a wedding, the noun in a fairy tale. Each video starts and stops on that line.
Sí, es un beso.
Yes, it's a kiss.
A real kiss can't be wrapped up, but in this fairy tale a tiny charm that fits in your palm goes by the name beso.
From Peter Pan · Spanish audio
Beso and besar in everyday life
Six phrases for greetings, family and messages.
| Spanish | English | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| dar un beso | to give a kiss | Dame un beso. (Give me a kiss.) |
| un besito | a little kiss, a peck | The -ito ending makes it small and sweet. |
| un beso en la mejilla | a kiss on the cheek | La mejilla is the cheek. |
| dos besos | two kisses | The usual greeting between friends in Spain, one on each cheek. |
| Besos. / Un beso. | Love, xoxo | A warm way to sign off a text or a card to family and friends. |
| besar a alguien | to kiss someone | The personal a comes before the person. |
Tip: Spanish puts the kisses first: besos y abrazos is how you say "hugs and kisses".
Grammar: el beso and besar
One noun, one verb, and two patterns that connect them.
El beso is masculine
el beso, un beso, los besos. Put the stress on the first syllable: BEH-soh.Besar is regular
beso, besas, besa, besamos, besáis, besan. So beso is both the kiss and I kiss.Besar a + person
Put a before the person you kiss: Besa a su hija. With a body part there's no a: besar la mano.Give a kiss with dar
Spanish often turns the verb into dar un beso: Le doy un beso a mi madre. I give my mother a kiss.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
Quiero besar a mi esposo.
I want to kiss my husband.
Los besos son buenos.
Kisses are good.
Sí, le dio un beso.
Yes, she gave him a kiss.
Esta noche quiero besar a mi amor.
Tonight I want to kiss my love.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗Beso mi abuela
✓Beso a mi abuela
A person after besar needs the personal a.
✗la beso (meaning the kiss)
✓el beso
The noun is masculine. La beso does exist, but it means I kiss her.
✗BEH-zoh (pronunciation)
✓BEH-soh
Keep the s sharp, like the s in sun. Spanish has no buzzing z sound in this word.
Practice: 3 quick exercises
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1 of 3 · Watch and choose
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The other 34 exercises on this topic are in the app.
How to remember it
Say beso slowly and feel your lips press together on the b. Your mouth makes a tiny kiss every time.
Questions about "kiss" in Spanish
How do you say kiss in Spanish?
The noun is el beso and the verb is besar: Quiero besar a mi esposo.
How do you say "give me a kiss" in Spanish?
Dame un beso. For a quick little kiss, say dame un besito.
How do you write "kisses" at the end of a message?
Besos or un beso. Friends and family sign off texts and cards this way.
Do people kiss to say hello in Spain?
Yes. Friends and family usually greet with dos besos, a light kiss on each cheek.
