referir

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin referre, with normal change of conjugation to -ir.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [rə.fəˈɾi]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [re.feˈɾiɾ]
• IPA^(key): (Northwestern) [re.feˈɾi]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Verb

referir (first-person singular present refereixo, first-person singular preterite referí, past participle referit)

1. to relate
2. to refer
3. to be about

Conjugation

    Central Catalan conjugation of referir (third conjugation, with -eix-)

infinitive			referir
gerund			referint
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		referit		referida
		plural		referits		referides
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	refereixo	refereixes	refereix	referim	referiu	refereixen
	imperfect	referia	referies	referia	referíem	referíeu	referien
	future	referiré	referiràs	referirà	referirem	referireu	referiran
	preterite	referí	referires	referí	referírem	referíreu	referiren
	conditional	referiria	referiries	referiria	referiríem	referiríeu	referirien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	refereixi	refereixis	refereixi	referim	referiu	refereixin
	imperfect	referís	referissis	referís	referíssim	referíssiu	referissin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	refereix	refereixi	referim	referiu	refereixin
	negative (no)	—	no refereixis	no refereixi	no referim	no referiu	no refereixin

Related terms

• referència
• referent

Further reading

• “referir”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “referir”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “referir” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “referir”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Galician

Etymology

From Latin referre.

Verb

referir (first-person singular present refiro, third-person singular present refire, first-person singular preterite referín, past participle referido)
referir (first-person singular present refiro, third-person singular present refere, first-person singular preterite referim or referi, past participle referido, reintegrationist norm)

1. to refer (to direct to a source for help or information)

   Synonyms: citar, referenciar

2. to relate (to tell in a descriptive way)

   Synonyms: contar, dicir, narrar, relatar

3. to refer (submit to an authority figure for consideration)
4. to be about something; to have something as a subject

   Esta lei refírese aos crimes de fraude e extorsión.

   This law is about the crimes of fraud and racketeering.

5. to refer (to allude to)

   Synonyms: aludir, mencionar

Conjugation

    Conjugation of referir (e becomes i when stressed)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	referir
Personal	referir	referires	referir	referirmos	referirdes	referiren
Gerund
	referindo
Past participle
Masculine	referido			referidos
Feminine	referida			referidas
Indicative
Present	refiro	refires	refire	referimos	referides	refiren
Imperfect	refería	referías	refería	referiamos	referiades	referían
Preterite	referín	referiches	referiu	referimos	referistes	referiron
Pluperfect	referira	referiras	referira	referiramos	referirades	referiran
Future	referirei	referirás	referirá	referiremos	referiredes	referirán
Conditional	referiría	referirías	referiría	refeririamos	refeririades	referirían
Subjunctive
Present	refira	refiras	refira	refiramos	refirades	refiran
Imperfect	referise	referises	referise	referísemos	referísedes	referisen
Future	referir	referires	referir	referirmos	referirdes	referiren
Imperative
Affirmative		refire	refira	refiramos	referide	refiran
Negative (non)		non refiras	non refira	non refiramos	non refirades	non refiran

    Reintegrated conjugation of referir (i-e alternation in present singular) (See Appendix:Reintegrationism)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti / tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	referir
Personal	referir	referires	referir	referirmos	referirdes	referirem
Gerund
	referindo
Past participle
Masculine	referido			referidos
Feminine	referida			referidas
Indicative
Present	refiro	referes	refere	referimos	referides, referis	referem
Imperfect	referia	referias	referia	referíamos	referíades, referíeis, referíais1	referiam
Preterite	referim, referi	referiste, referiche1	referiu	referimos	referistes	referírom, referiram
Pluperfect	referira	referiras	referira	referíramos	referírades, referíreis, referírais1	referiram
Future	referirei	referirás	referirá	referiremos	referiredes, referireis	referirám, referirão
Conditional	referiria	referirias	referiria	referiríamos	referiríades, referiríeis, referiríais1	refeririam
Subjunctive
Present	refira	refiras	refira	refiramos	refirades, refirais	refiram
Imperfect	referisse	referisses	referisse	referíssemos	referíssedes, referísseis	referissem
Future	referir	referires	referir	referirmos	referirdes	referirem
Imperative
Affirmative		refere	refira	refiramos	referide, referi	refiram
Negative (nom)		nom refiras	nom refira	nom refiramos	nom refirades, nom refirais	nom refiram

¹Less recommended.

Related terms

• referencia
• referenciar
• referenda
• referendado
• referendar
• referendo
• referente

Further reading

• “referir”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026
• “referir”, in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (in Galician), 2014–2026

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• refirir (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese referir, from Latin referō.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ʁe.feˈɾi(ʁ)/ [he.feˈɾi(h)], /ʁe.fiˈɾi(ʁ)/ [he.fiˈɾi(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ʁe.feˈɾi(ʁ)/ [he.feˈɾi(h)], /ʁe.fiˈɾi(ʁ)/ [he.fiˈɾi(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /ʁe.feˈɾi(ɾ)/ [he.feˈɾi(ɾ)], /ʁe.fiˈɾi(ɾ)/ [he.fiˈɾi(ɾ)]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ʁe.feˈɾi(ʁ)/ [χe.feˈɾi(χ)], /ʁe.fiˈɾi(ʁ)/ [χe.fiˈɾi(χ)]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /ʁe.feˈɾi(ɻ)/ [he.feˈɾi(ɻ)], /ʁe.fiˈɾi(ɻ)/ [he.fiˈɾi(ɻ)]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ʁe.feˈɾi(ʁ)/ [he.feˈɾi(h)]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʁɨ.fɨˈɾiɾ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʁɨ.fɨˈɾiɾ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʁɨ.fɨˈɾi.ɾi/

• Homophone: referi (Brazil)
• Hyphenation: re‧fe‧rir

Verb

referir (first-person singular present refiro, third-person singular present refere, first-person singular preterite referi, past participle referido)

1. to refer
   1. to direct to a source for help or information

      Synonyms: citar, referenciar

   2. submit to an authority figure for consideration
   3. to allude to

      Synonyms: aludir, mencionar

   4. (reflexive) to refer (to) (to make a reference to) [with a ‘something/someone’]
2. to relate (to tell in a descriptive way)

   Synonyms: contar, dizer, narrar, relatar

3. to be about something; to have something as a subject

   Synonym: dizer respeito a

   Esta lei refere-se aos crimes de fraude e extorsão.

   This law is about the crimes of fraud and racketeering.

Conjugation

    Conjugation of referir (i-e alternation in present singular) (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	referir
Personal	referir	referires	referir	referirmos	referirdes	referirem
Gerund
	referindo
Past participle
Masculine	referido			referidos
Feminine	referida			referidas
Indicative
Present	refiro	referes	refere	referimos	referis	referem
Imperfect	referia	referias	referia	referíamos	referíeis	referiam
Preterite	referi	referiste	referiu	referimos	referistes	referiram
Pluperfect	referira	referiras	referira	referíramos	referíreis	referiram
Future	referirei	referirás	referirá	referiremos	referireis	referirão
Conditional	referiria	referirias	referiria	referiríamos	referiríeis	refeririam
Subjunctive
Present	refira	refiras	refira	refiramos	refirais	refiram
Imperfect	referisse	referisses	referisse	referíssemos	referísseis	referissem
Future	referir	referires	referir	referirmos	referirdes	referirem
Imperative
Affirmative		refere	refira	refiramos	referi	refiram
Negative (não)		não refiras	não refira	não refiramos	não refirais	não refiram

Related terms

• referência
• referenciado
• referencial
• referencialidade
• referenciar
• referenda
• referendado
• referendar
• referendo
• referente
• referido
• referimento
• referível

Further reading

• “referir”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “referir”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Italic *wre-

Latin re-

Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-

Proto-Indo-European *-eti

Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti

Proto-Italic *ferō

Latin ferō

Latin referōlbor.

Spanish referir

Learned borrowing from Latin referō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /refeˈɾiɾ/ [re.feˈɾiɾ]
• Rhymes: -iɾ
• Syllabification: re‧fe‧rir

Verb

referir (first-person singular present refiero, first-person singular preterite referí, past participle referido)

1. to report
2. to relate
3. (reflexive) to refer to

   ¿A qué te refieres?

   What are you referring to?

Conjugation

    Conjugation of referir (e-ie-i alternation) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			referir
gerund			refiriendo
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		referido		referida
		plural		referidos		referidas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	refiero	refierestú referísvos	refiere	referimos	referís	refieren
	imperfect	refería	referías	refería	referíamos	referíais	referían
	preterite	referí	referiste	refirió	referimos	referisteis	refirieron
	future	referiré	referirás	referirá	referiremos	referiréis	referirán
	conditional	referiría	referirías	referiría	referiríamos	referiríais	referirían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	refiera	refierastú refirásvos2	refiera	refiramos	refiráis	refieran
	imperfect (ra)	refiriera	refirieras	refiriera	refiriéramos	refirierais	refirieran
	imperfect (se)	refiriese	refirieses	refiriese	refiriésemos	refirieseis	refiriesen
	future1	refiriere	refirieres	refiriere	refiriéremos	refiriereis	refirieren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		refieretú referívos	refiera	refiramos	referid	refieran
	negative		no refieras	no refiera	no refiramos	no refiráis	no refieran

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of referir (e-ie-i alternation)

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive referir	dative	referirme	referirte	referirle, referirse	referirnos	referiros	referirles, referirse
	accusative	referirme	referirte	referirlo, referirla, referirse	referirnos	referiros	referirlos, referirlas, referirse
with gerund refiriendo	dative	refiriéndome	refiriéndote	refiriéndole, refiriéndose	refiriéndonos	refiriéndoos	refiriéndoles, refiriéndose
	accusative	refiriéndome	refiriéndote	refiriéndolo, refiriéndola, refiriéndose	refiriéndonos	refiriéndoos	refiriéndolos, refiriéndolas, refiriéndose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative refiere	dative	refiéreme	refiérete	refiérele	refiérenos	not used	refiéreles
	accusative	refiéreme	refiérete	refiérelo, refiérela	refiérenos	not used	refiérelos, refiérelas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative referí	dative	referime	referite	referile	referinos	not used	referiles
	accusative	referime	referite	referilo, referila	referinos	not used	referilos, referilas
with formal second-person singular imperative refiera	dative	refiérame	not used	refiérale, refiérase	refiéranos	not used	refiérales
	accusative	refiérame	not used	refiéralo, refiérala, refiérase	refiéranos	not used	refiéralos, refiéralas
with first-person plural imperative refiramos	dative	not used	refirámoste	refirámosle	refirámonos	refirámoos	refirámosles
	accusative	not used	refirámoste	refirámoslo, refirámosla	refirámonos	refirámoos	refirámoslos, refirámoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative referid	dative	referidme	not used	referidle	referidnos	referíos	referidles
	accusative	referidme	not used	referidlo, referidla	referidnos	referíos	referidlos, referidlas
with formal second-person plural imperative refieran	dative	refiéranme	not used	refiéranle	refiérannos	not used	refiéranles, refiéranse
	accusative	refiéranme	not used	refiéranlo, refiéranla	refiérannos	not used	refiéranlos, refiéranlas, refiéranse

Derived terms

• referimiento

Related terms

• referencia
• referente
• referirse

Further reading

• “referir”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025