You stir and dissolve Spanish / 5 minutes of Spanish (English version) + Podcast

 

Disolver / to dissolve

 Hello, how are you! Good morning, good afternoon or good evening, depending on where you are or what time you're listening to us.

 

Welcome to another episode of fun learning Spanish! What's our topic?

 

Today we're going to play with two very interesting verbs: revolver and disolver. Both share a common origin: the verb volver, which means “to return” in English.

 

What do these verbs have to do with “volver”? Let's find out!

 

First, let's talk about stir. This verb means “to stir” or “to mix up” in English. It comes from the combination of re- (indicating repetition) and volver (to return).

 

So, in a sense, revolver is like “to stir up again” or “to stir up repeatedly”.

Do we have examples?

 

Revolví el café con una cuchara. / I stirred the coffee with a spoon.

 

This verb is used a lot in cooking, but also in more abstract situations, like when someone says they “stirred the papers” on their desk.

 

It sounds familiar...

 

Mis papeles se revolvieron en el escritorio / My papers got mixed up on the desk.

 

Does the pronunciation matter?

 

Of course it does! Spanish pronunciation is super important, especially with words like revolver and revólver. If you say revólver, with the accent on the “o”, you would be talking about a firearm.

Revolver (without the graphic accent) means “to stir” or “to mix up”.

Revolver (with the accent on the “o”) means “gun”.

 

Shall we go to the examples?

 

Necesito revolver la sopa. / I need to stir the soup.

 

Tiene un revólver en su cinturón. / He has a gun on his belt.

 

A small change in accentuation can make a big difference!

 

Now, let's go with “disolver”, which means “to dissolve” in English. It also has its origin in volver, as it comes from dis-, which implies separation, and volver.

 

Literally, it would be something like “to separate again.” We use it to talk about how things break down or disappear in a liquid.

 

For example:

El azúcar se disuelve en el agua caliente. / Sugar dissolves in hot water.

 

It can also be used in a more figurative sense, as when an organization dissolves.

 

La junta directiva fue disuelta después de la reunion. / The board of directors was dissolved after the meeting.

 

And so, we saw how the verbs revolver and disolver have a meaning related to movement and separation, but both come from the root volver.

 

Amazing how one word can be transformed into so many others! Always remember to watch your pronunciation, especially with words like revolver and revolver, which, although they look similar, have very different meanings.

 

Thanks for making it this far in the podcast and if you liked it, share it!

 

Leave us opinions and examples in the comments!

 

See you in Cabo or in the online classes.

 

Or, we'll hear you in the next episode!

 

See you soon

 

Bye-bye.