Spanish word of the week: amanecer

This week’s Spanish word of the week is amanecer.

Amanecer is a verb that means to get light; to wake up and you can find out how to pronounce it here:

When it means to get light amanecer is an impersonal verb just like llover. Impersonal verbs have ‘it’ as the subject, but ‘it’ doesn’t refer to anything specific:

En verano amanece muy temprano. In summer it gets light very early.

When used with an adjective amanecer can be used to talk about the weather:

El día amaneció nublado. The day started out cloudy.

The opposite of amanecer is another impersonal verb, anochecer to get dark:

Se quedaron hasta que anocheció por completo. They stayed until it was completely dark.

Amanecer also has a personal meaning: to wake up:

Hoy Alex amaneció con fiebre. Alex woke up with a temperature this morning.

In this meaning it is a less common or more formal alternative for despertarse.

Come back next week for a new word, and expand your Spanish vocabulary!