You're standing poolside in Mexico or maybe staring at the crashing waves in San Sebastián, and you realize you have no idea how to ask if it's safe to jump in. Or maybe you're just trying to finish your homework. Either way, figuring out how do you say swim in Spanish seems like it should be a one-word answer. It isn't. Not really.
The short version? It's nadar.
But if you just walk around shouting "nadar," people are going to look at you like you've got a literal fish out of water situation happening. Language is about context. It’s about movement. In Spanish, "to swim" changes depending on whether you're doing laps for exercise, splashing around with kids, or describing how a piece of steak is "swimming" in too much chimichurri.
The Basics of Nadar and Why Conjugation Matters
Honestly, nadar is your best friend. It’s a regular "-ar" verb, which is the easiest kind to learn. If you want to say "I swim," you say yo nado. If you're talking about your friend, it's él nada or ella nada.
Most beginners get stuck because they forget that Spanish is obsessed with who is doing the action. You can't just drop the infinitive everywhere. If you say "Yo nadar," you sound like a Tarzan movie. Instead, focus on the present tense. Nosotros nadamos means we are swimming right now or we swim generally.
Common Conjugations for the Verb Nadar
- Nado: I swim.
- Nadas: You swim (informal).
- Nada: He/She/It swims.
- Nadamos: We swim.
- Nadan: They swim.
Don't sweat the vosotros form unless you’re planning a trip to Madrid or Seville. In Latin America, ustedes nadan covers everyone in a group.
Beyond the Basics: When Nadar Isn't Enough
Sometimes nadar feels too formal. If you’re at the beach and someone asks, "¿Quieres meterte al agua?" they aren't asking if you want to perform a formal Olympic stroke. They're asking if you want to "get in the water."
This is where regional slang kicks in. In some places, people use bañarse. Now, if you look that up in a dictionary, it says "to bathe" or "to take a shower." But in many Spanish-speaking countries, especially in the Caribbean or parts of Spain, ir a bañarse is the standard way to say you're going for a dip. It's casual. It’s "let’s go get wet."
💡 You might also like: Easy recipes dinner for two: Why you are probably overcomplicating date night
The Difference Between Swimming and Floating
There's also flotar. Sometimes you aren't swimming; you're just bobbing there like a cork. If you’re doing the backstroke, that’s nadar de espalda. If you’re doing the butterfly (bless your soul), that’s estilo mariposa. But if you're just hanging out, you're flotando.
Actually, there’s another word you’ll hear in Mexico: chapucear. It means to splash around or paddle. It’s what toddlers do in those tiny plastic pools. It’s what you do when the water is too cold to actually submerge your shoulders, so you just sort of kick the surface and complain.
How Do You Say Swim in Spanish in Professional Contexts?
If you're talking about the sport, the word changes again. La natación is the noun for the sport of swimming. You wouldn't say "I like swim." You’d say "Me gusta la natación."
High-level athletes in Spain or Argentina don't just "swim." They train. Entrenar is the verb they’ll use most often. According to the Real Academia Española (RAE), the authority on the language, nadar is specifically moving through water using your body. But if you’re talking about a swimming meet, you’re looking for a competencia de natación.
Specific Strokes to Know
- Crol: This is the freestyle or front crawl. It sounds exactly like the English word because, well, it is.
- Braza: The breaststroke.
- Espalda: The backstroke (literally means "back").
- Mariposa: Butterfly.
Figurative Swimming: When Things Get Weird
Spanish speakers love a good idiom. Just like in English where you might be "swimming in debt" or "swimming with sharks," Spanish has its own colorful ways to use the concept of buoyancy.
Take the phrase nadar entre dos aguas. Literally, it means swimming between two waters. Figuratively? It means you're being indecisive. You’re playing both sides. You’re fence-sitting. It’s a great phrase to use when your friend can't decide which taco stand to go to.
Then there’s nadar contra corriente. To swim against the current. This one is universal. It means you’re a rebel, or you’re doing things the hard way.
📖 Related: How is gum made? The sticky truth about what you are actually chewing
And my personal favorite: nadar en la abundancia. To swim in abundance. Basically, you're loaded. You've got more money or resources than you know what to do with.
Regional Variations You’ll Actually Hear
Go to the coast of Colombia and tell someone you want to nadar. They’ll understand you, sure. But they might just say, "¡Vamos al mar!" (Let's go to the sea!). The action is implied.
In some parts of Central America, you might hear echarse un clavado. This doesn't mean to swim; it means to take a dive. A clavado is a dive (think of a nail, or clavo, piercing the water). If you're at a cenote in Yucatán, you aren't just swimming; you're diving in.
Why Pronunciation is Your Secret Weapon
Spanish is phonetic. This is the best news ever for English speakers. Unlike English, where "tough," "though," and "through" all sound different, Spanish letters almost always stay the same.
The "a" in nadar is always like the "a" in "father."
The "d" is softer than an English "d." It’s almost like a "th" sound. Try putting your tongue against your top teeth.
The "r" at the end should be a quick tap, not a long American "errr" sound.
Equipment and Gear: What to Pack
If you’re going to the pool (la piscina or la alberca depending on if you’re in Spain or Mexico), you need the right gear.
- Bañador / Traje de baño: Swimsuit. Use bañador in Spain and traje de baño in Latin America.
- Gafas de natación: Goggles.
- Gorro: Swim cap.
- Toalla: Towel.
- Chancletas: Flip-flops. Everyone needs chancletas.
Cultural Nuance: The "Alberca" vs. "Piscina" Debate
This is a classic trap. If you're in Mexico, you say alberca. If you use piscina there, people will know what you mean, but it sounds a bit "textbook." However, in most of the rest of the Spanish-speaking world—Colombia, Argentina, Spain, Chile—piscina is the reigning champ.
👉 See also: Curtain Bangs on Fine Hair: Why Yours Probably Look Flat and How to Fix It
In Uruguay and Argentina, you might even hear pileta. Context is everything. If you ask for a pileta in Mexico, they’ll point you to a sink or a stone basin. Language is weird.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Trip
If you really want to master how do you say swim in Spanish, you need to move beyond the dictionary. Don't just memorize the word nadar.
First, practice the "I" form. ¿Puedo nadar aquí? (Can I swim here?). This is the most practical sentence you can learn. It’s short, punchy, and keeps you from getting arrested or eaten by something.
Second, learn the difference between the pool and the beach. Ir a la playa (go to the beach) involves a lot more than just swimming. It involves broncearse (tanning) and relajarse (relaxing).
Third, watch a YouTube video of a Spanish swimming commentator. The speed at which they talk about la natación during the Olympics is mind-blowing. It’ll help your ear get used to the rhythm of the word nadar when it’s buried in a sentence at 100 miles per hour.
Finally, just jump in. Literally. The best way to learn any language is through immersion. If you’re in a Spanish-speaking country, find the local watering hole. Ask the locals, "¿Está buena el agua?" (Is the water good?). They’ll tell you if it’s fría (cold) or perfecta.
Don't overthink the grammar. If you say "Yo nadar" with a big smile and a pair of goggles on your head, someone is going to point you toward the water. And at the end of the day, that's the whole point of communication anyway.
Quick Checklist for Success
- Use nadar for the act of swimming.
- Use la natación for the sport.
- Use traje de baño to avoid being naked.
- Use piscina or alberca to find the water.
- Soften your "d" sounds so you don't sound like a gringo robot.
The next time someone asks you how do you say swim in Spanish, you can tell them it's nadar—but then you can tell them why it's so much more than that. Now, go find a towel.