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fascinar means fascinate — a common term in Beautiful Spanish. Learn how it's used in a real-world example.

📅 Published: January 19, 2026

✨ Beautiful Spanish

fascinar

verb • /[fa-see-NAR]/

fascinate

Example:

Me fascina su forma de mirar.

I’m fascinated by the way she looks.

🧠 What does fascinar mean?

The verb 'fascinar' means to fascinate, captivate, or charm. It is used to express a very strong liking or deep interest in something or someone. Grammatically, it functions like 'gustar' and 'encantar', where the thing that is fascinating is the subject of the sentence, and the person who is fascinated is the indirect object. For example, in 'Me fascina la música clásica', 'la música clásica' is the subject that performs the action of fascinating, and 'me' is the indirect object pronoun representing the person who is fascinated.

📚 Extra examples

  • La historia del antiguo Egipto me fascina.
    The history of ancient Egypt fascinates me.
  • A los niños les fascinan los cuentos de hadas.
    Fairy tales fascinate children.
  • Quedó fascinado con la actuación de la bailarina.
    He was fascinated by the dancer's performance.
  • Es un documental que fascina a personas de todas las edades.
    It is a documentary that fascinates people of all ages.

💡 Did You Know?

The word 'fascinar' derives from the Latin verb 'fascināre', which meant 'to bewitch' or 'to cast a spell'. This etymology is still present in the modern Spanish word, which implies a level of attraction so strong it feels like an enchantment.

🔁 Synonyms & opposites of "fascinar"

Synonyms: encantar, cautivar, seducir, hechizar, maravillar, impresionar
Opposites: aburrir, disgustar, repeler, desagradar, desinteresar

🔍 See more beautiful spanish words

❓ FAQ

How do you say 'fascinate' in Spanish?
The most direct and common way to say 'fascinate' in Spanish is with the verb 'fascinar'.
How do you pronounce 'fascinar' in Spanish?
The pronunciation is fahs-see-NAHR. In most of Spain, the 'c' before 'i' is pronounced with a 'th' sound: fahs-thee-NAHR.
How do you use 'fascinar' in a sentence?
Use it like 'gustar'. Start with an indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) to indicate who is fascinated, followed by the verb 'fascina' (for a singular subject) or 'fascinan' (for a plural subject), and then the subject itself. For example: 'A ella le fascina el universo'.
What is the English translation of 'fascinar'?
The primary English translation is 'to fascinate'. It can also be translated as 'to captivate', 'to charm', or 'to enchant'.
Does 'fascinar' change for gender or number?
The verb 'fascinar' conjugates based on the subject (the thing doing the fascinating), typically in the third person singular ('fascina') or plural ('fascinan'). The past participle, 'fascinado', does change for gender and number ('fascinado', 'fascinada', 'fascinados', 'fascinadas') when used as an adjective, as in 'Ella está fascinada'.
Is 'fascinar' common in everyday Spanish?
Yes, 'fascinar' is quite common in both spoken and written Spanish. It is used to express a strong sense of wonder, interest, or admiration, making it a very expressive and useful verb.
Does 'fascinar' have slang or double meanings?
No, 'fascinar' does not have any common slang or secondary meanings. Its use is straightforward and consistent with its primary definition of 'to fascinate'.
Is 'fascinar' used differently in Spain vs Latin America?
The meaning and grammatical use of 'fascinar' are the same across all Spanish-speaking regions. The only notable difference is the pronunciation of the 'c', which varies between Spain and Latin America.
How do you conjugate 'fascinar' in Spanish?
'Fascinar' is a regular -ar verb. However, it is most commonly used in the third person. The present tense forms are: (a mí) me fascina/n, (a ti) te fascina/n, (a él/ella) le fascina/n, (a nosotros) nos fascina/n, (a vosotros) os fascina/n, (a ellos/ellas) les fascina/n.

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