significar

Asturian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin significāre.

Verb

significar (first-person singular indicative present significo, past participle significáu)

1. to mean, signify

Conjugation

Conjugation of significar

infinitive		significar
gerund		significando
past participle		m significáu, f significada, n significao, m pl significaos, f pl significaes
person		first singular yo	second singular tu	third singular él/elli	first plural nosotros/nós	second plural vosotros/vós	third plural ellos
indicative	present	significo	signifiques	significa	significamos	significáis	signifiquen
	imperfect	significaba	significabes	significaba	significábemos, significábamos	significabeis, significabais	significaben
	preterite	signifiqué	significasti, signifiquesti	significó	signifiquemos	significastis, signifiquestis	significaron
	pluperfect	significare, significara	significares, significaras	significare, significara	significáremos, significáramos	significareis, significarais	significaren, significaran
	future	significaré	significarás	significará	significaremos	significaréis	significarán
	conditional	significaría	significaríes	significaría	significaríemos, significaríamos	significaríeis, significaríais	significaríen
subjunctive	present	signifique	signifiques, significas	signifique	signifiquemos	signifiquéis	signifiquen, significan
	imperfect	significare, significara	significares, significaras	significare, significara	significáremos, significáramos	significareis, significarais	significaren, significaran
imperative		—	significa	—	—	significái	—

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin significāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [siŋ.ni.fiˈka]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [siŋ.ni.fiˈkaɾ]

• Audio (Catalonia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a(ɾ)

Verb

significar (first-person singular present significo, first-person singular preterite signifiquí, past participle significat)

1. to mean, to signify

   Synonym: voler dir

   Si hi ha núvols al cel, significa que plourà. ― If there are clouds in the sky, it means that it's going to rain.

Conjugation

    Conjugation of significar (first conjugation, c-qu alternation)

infinitive			significar
gerund			significant
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		significat		significada
		plural		significats		significades
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	significo	signifiques	significa	signifiquem	signifiqueu	signifiquen
	imperfect	significava	significaves	significava	significàvem	significàveu	significaven
	future	significaré	significaràs	significarà	significarem	significareu	significaran
	preterite	signifiquí	significares	significà	significàrem	significàreu	significaren
	conditional	significaria	significaries	significaria	significaríem	significaríeu	significarien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	signifiqui	signifiquis	signifiqui	signifiquem	signifiqueu	signifiquin
	imperfect	signifiqués	signifiquessis	signifiqués	signifiquéssim	signifiquéssiu	signifiquessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	significa	signifiqui	signifiquem	signifiqueu	signifiquin
	negative (no)	—	no signifiquis	no signifiqui	no signifiquem	no signifiqueu	no signifiquin

Derived terms

• significat

Related terms

• significació
• significant
• significatiu

Further reading

• “significar”, 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
• “significar”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “significar” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “significar” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Galician

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin significāre.

Verb

significar (first-person singular present significo, first-person singular preterite signifiquei, past participle significado)

1. to mean, signify

Conjugation

    Conjugation of significar (c-qu alternation)

	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	significar
Personal	significar	significares	significar	significarmos	significardes	significaren
Gerund
	significando
Past participle
Masculine	significado			significados
Feminine	significada			significadas
Indicative
Present	significo	significas	significa	significamos	significades	significan
Imperfect	significaba	significabas	significaba	significabamos	significabades	significaban
Preterite	signifiquei	significaches	significou	significamos	significastes	significaron
Pluperfect	significara	significaras	significara	significaramos	significarades	significaran
Future	significarei	significarás	significará	significaremos	significaredes	significarán
Conditional	significaría	significarías	significaría	significariamos	significariades	significarían
Subjunctive
Present	signifique	signifiques	signifique	signifiquemos	signifiquedes	signifiquen
Imperfect	significase	significases	significase	significásemos	significásedes	significasen
Future	significar	significares	significar	significarmos	significardes	significaren
Imperative
Affirmative		significa	signifique	signifiquemos	significade	signifiquen
Negative (non)		non signifiques	non signifique	non signifiquemos	non signifiquedes	non signifiquen

    Reintegrated conjugation of significar (c-qu alternation) (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	significar
Personal	significar	significares	significar	significarmos	significardes	significarem
Gerund
	significando
Past participle
Masculine	significado			significados
Feminine	significada			significadas
Indicative
Present	significo	significas	significa	significamos	significades, significais	significam
Imperfect	significava	significavas	significava	significávamos	significávades, significáveis, significávais1	significavam
Preterite	signifiquei	significaste, significache1	significou	significamos	significastes	significárom, significaram
Pluperfect	significara	significaras	significara	significáramos	significárades, significáreis, significárais1	significaram
Future	significarei	significarás	significará	significaremos	significaredes, significareis	significarám, significarão
Conditional	significaria	significarias	significaria	significaríamos	significaríades, significaríeis, significaríais1	significariam
Subjunctive
Present	signifique	signifiques	signifique	signifiquemos	signifiquedes, signifiqueis	signifiquem
Imperfect	significasse	significasses	significasse	significássemos	significássedes, significásseis	significassem
Future	significar	significares	significar	significarmos	significardes	significarem
Imperative
Affirmative		significa	signifique	signifiquemos	significade, significai	signifiquem
Negative (nom)		nom signifiques	nom signifique	nom signifiquemos	nom signifiquedes, nom signifiqueis	nom signifiquem

¹Less recommended.

Related terms

• significado
• signo

Interlingua

Verb

significar

1. to mean; signify

Conjugation

    Conjugation of significar

infinitive		significar
participle		present	perfect
		significante	significate
active		simple	perfect
	present	significa	ha significate
	past	significava	habeva significate
	future	significara	habera significate
	conditional	significarea	haberea significate
	imperative	significa	—
passive		simple	perfect
	present	es significate	ha essite significate
	past	esseva significate	habeva essite significate
	future	essera significate	habera essite significate
	conditional	esserea significate	haberea essite significate
	imperative	sia significate	—

Portuguese

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin significāre.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(ʁ)/ [si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(h)], /siɡ.ni.fiˈka(ʁ)/ [siɡ.ni.fiˈka(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(ʁ)/ [si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(h)], /siɡ.ni.fiˈka(ʁ)/ [siɡ.ni.fiˈka(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(ɾ)/, /siɡ.ni.fiˈka(ɾ)/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(ʁ)/ [si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(χ)], /siɡ.ni.fiˈka(ʁ)/ [siɡ.ni.fiˈka(χ)]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(ɻ)/, /siɡ.ni.fiˈka(ɻ)/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /siɡ.ni.fiˈka(ʁ)/ [siɡ.ni.fiˈka(h)], /si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(ʁ)/ [si.ɡi.ni.fiˈka(h)]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /si.ɡni.fiˈkaɾ/ [si.ɣni.fiˈkaɾ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /si.ɡni.fiˈkaɾ/ [si.ɣni.fiˈkaɾ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /si.ɡni.fiˈka.ɾi/ [si.ɣni.fiˈka.ɾi]

• Audio (Brazil (Caipira)):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: sig‧ni‧fi‧car

Verb

significar (first-person singular present significo, first-person singular preterite signifiquei, past participle significado)

1. (transitive) to mean (to have a particular meaning)

   A palavra “livro” significa um conjunto de páginas ligadas. ― The word “book” means a collection of bound pages.

   • 2003, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e a Ordem da Fênix [Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix] (Harry Potter; 5), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 415:

     O que significa...?

     What does it mean...?

2. (transitive, often taking que and a subordinate clause) to mean; to signify (to indicate a consequence)

   Isso significa guerra. ― This means war.

Conjugation

    Conjugation of significar (c-qu alternation) (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	significar
Personal	significar	significares	significar	significarmos	significardes	significarem
Gerund
	significando
Past participle
Masculine	significado			significados
Feminine	significada			significadas
Indicative
Present	significo	significas	significa	significamos	significais	significam
Imperfect	significava	significavas	significava	significávamos	significáveis	significavam
Preterite	signifiquei	significaste	significou	significamos1, significámos2	significastes	significaram
Pluperfect	significara	significaras	significara	significáramos	significáreis	significaram
Future	significarei	significarás	significará	significaremos	significareis	significarão
Conditional	significaria	significarias	significaria	significaríamos	significaríeis	significariam
Subjunctive
Present	signifique	signifiques	signifique	signifiquemos	signifiqueis	signifiquem
Imperfect	significasse	significasses	significasse	significássemos	significásseis	significassem
Future	significar	significares	significar	significarmos	significardes	significarem
Imperative
Affirmative		significa	signifique	signifiquemos	significai	signifiquem
Negative (não)		não signifiques	não signifique	não signifiquemos	não signifiqueis	não signifiquem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Related terms

• ressignificar
• significado
• significante
• significativo
• signo
• sinal

Further reading

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

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin significāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /siɡnifiˈkaɾ/ [siɣ̞.ni.fiˈkaɾ]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: sig‧ni‧fi‧car

Verb

significar (first-person singular present significo, first-person singular preterite signifiqué, past participle significado)

1. to signify
2. to mean

   Qué significa esa palabra?

   What does that word mean?

3. (pronominal) to stand out

   Synonym: distinguirse

   se significa por su inteligencia ― He stands out for his intelligence.

4. (pronominal) to speak out, to assert (to voice one's opinion) [with en ‘in regards to something’]

   significarse en contra de la guerra ― to speak out against the war

Conjugation

    Conjugation of significar (c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			significar
gerund			significando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		significado		significada
		plural		significados		significadas
		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	significo	significastú significásvos	significa	significamos	significáis	significan
	imperfect	significaba	significabas	significaba	significábamos	significabais	significaban
	preterite	signifiqué	significaste	significó	significamos	significasteis	significaron
	future	significaré	significarás	significará	significaremos	significaréis	significarán
	conditional	significaría	significarías	significaría	significaríamos	significaríais	significarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	signifique	signifiquestú signifiquésvos2	signifique	signifiquemos	signifiquéis	signifiquen
	imperfect (ra)	significara	significaras	significara	significáramos	significarais	significaran
	imperfect (se)	significase	significases	significase	significásemos	significaseis	significasen
	future1	significare	significares	significare	significáremos	significareis	significaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		significatú significávos	signifique	signifiquemos	significad	signifiquen
	negative		no signifiques	no signifique	no signifiquemos	no signifiquéis	no signifiquen

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

    Selected combined forms of significar (c-qu 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 significar	dative	significarme	significarte	significarle, significarse	significarnos	significaros	significarles, significarse
	accusative	significarme	significarte	significarlo, significarla, significarse	significarnos	significaros	significarlos, significarlas, significarse
with gerund significando	dative	significándome	significándote	significándole, significándose	significándonos	significándoos	significándoles, significándose
	accusative	significándome	significándote	significándolo, significándola, significándose	significándonos	significándoos	significándolos, significándolas, significándose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative significa	dative	signifícame	signifícate	signifícale	signifícanos	not used	signifícales
	accusative	signifícame	signifícate	signifícalo, signifícala	signifícanos	not used	signifícalos, signifícalas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative significá	dative	significame	significate	significale	significanos	not used	significales
	accusative	significame	significate	significalo, significala	significanos	not used	significalos, significalas
with formal second-person singular imperative signifique	dative	signifíqueme	not used	signifíquele, signifíquese	signifíquenos	not used	signifíqueles
	accusative	signifíqueme	not used	signifíquelo, signifíquela, signifíquese	signifíquenos	not used	signifíquelos, signifíquelas
with first-person plural imperative signifiquemos	dative	not used	signifiquémoste	signifiquémosle	signifiquémonos	signifiquémoos	signifiquémosles
	accusative	not used	signifiquémoste	signifiquémoslo, signifiquémosla	signifiquémonos	signifiquémoos	signifiquémoslos, signifiquémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative significad	dative	significadme	not used	significadle	significadnos	significaos	significadles
	accusative	significadme	not used	significadlo, significadla	significadnos	significaos	significadlos, significadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative signifiquen	dative	signifíquenme	not used	signifíquenle	signifíquennos	not used	signifíquenles, signifíquense
	accusative	signifíquenme	not used	signifíquenlo, signifíquenla	signifíquennos	not used	signifíquenlos, signifíquenlas, signifíquense

Related terms

• significado
• significancia
• significante

Further reading

• “significar”, 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