Introduction
Suavizar means “to soften”, and it is one of the verbs you will use again and again in Spanish. Suavizar means to soften, and it is used for softening skin, a voice, a rule and a blow: suavizar la piel, suavizar el tono. It is a spelling-change verb: z becomes c before e, so the preterite is suavicé and the subjunctive suavice. This page shows suavizar in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Suavizo la piel con crema.” — I soften skin with cream.
Suavizar in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how suavizar is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use suavizar in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Suavizo la piel con crema.” — I soften skin with cream.
“¿Suavizas el tono de la voz?” — Do you soften the tone of his voice?
“Suaviza las reglas del juego.” — He/she softens the rules of the game.
“Nosotros suavizamos el golpe con un cojín.” — We soften the blow with a cushion.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show suavizar in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer, yo suavicé la piel con crema.” — Yesterday, I softened skin with cream. (preterite)
“Antes, él suavizaba el tono de la voz.” — Before, he used to soften the tone of his voice. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of suavizar stays the same.
“Mañana, nosotros suavizaremos las reglas del juego.” — Tomorrow, we will soften the rules of the game. (future)
“¿Tú has suavizado el golpe con un cojín?” — Have you softened the blow with a cushion? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros suavizáis la piel con crema.” — You soften skin with cream.
“Ellos suavizan el tono de la voz.” — They soften the tone of his voice.
“Yo suavizo las reglas del juego.” — I soften the rules of the game.
“Mi padre suaviza el golpe con un cojín.” — My father softens the blow with a cushion.
Suavizar in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how suavizar appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Marta: “¿Tú suavizas el tono de la voz?” — Do you soften the tone of his voice?
Pedro: “Sí, yo suavizo la piel con crema.” — Yes, I soften skin with cream.
Marta: “Nosotros suavizamos el golpe con un cojín.” — We soften the blow with a cushion.
Pedro: “Y ellos suavizan el tono de la voz.” — And they soften the tone of his voice.
Marta: “Vosotros suavizáis las reglas del juego.” — You soften the rules of the game.
Pedro: “Sí, y él suaviza la piel con crema.” — Yes, and he softens skin with cream.
A short paragraph
Suaviza la piel con crema, y nosotros suavizamos el golpe con un cojín. Yo suavizo el tono de la voz, y ellos suavizan las reglas del juego. Suavizar is part of everyday life, because soften is something people do in work, at home and with friends, in the present, the past and the future.
Common mistakes with suavizar
These are the errors learners actually make with suavizar. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo suaviza la piel con crema.” Right: “Yo suavizo la piel con crema.” Why: The person matters: suaviza is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is suavizo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
Wrong: “Espero que yo suavize la piel con crema.” Right: “Espero que yo suavice la piel con crema.” Why: Spelling change: this verb is a -zar verb: z becomes c before e, so the preterite first person is suavicé and the present subjunctive is suavice, so the present subjunctive is suavice, never suavize.
Wrong: “Treating suavizar and ablandar as identical in every context.” Right: “Suavizar means to soften, while ablandar means to soften.” Why: They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: suavizar fits sentences such as Suavizo la piel con crema, while ablandar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Wrong: “Yo soy suavizado el tono de la voz.” Right: “Yo he suavizado el tono de la voz.” Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he suavizado, has suavizado, ha suavizado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
Wrong: “De niño, yo suavicé las reglas del juego todos los días.” Right: “De niño, yo suavizaba las reglas del juego todos los días.” Why: For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (suavizaba), not the preterite. The preterite (suavicé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: suavizar in use
Ten questions on suavizar in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ la piel con crema.” (You soften skin with cream.)
- (a) suavizáis
- (b) suavizo
- (c) suavizas
Answer: suavizáis — The vosotros/as form of suavizar in the present tense is suavizáis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ el tono de la voz.” (They soften the tone of his voice.)
- (a) suavizas
- (b) suavizan
- (c) suavizo
Answer: suavizan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of suavizar in the present tense is suavizan.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ la piel con crema.” (Yesterday I softened skin with cream.)
- (a) suavizaste
- (b) suavizó
- (c) suavicé
Answer: suavicé — In the preterite, the yo form of suavizar is suavicé.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Antes, él ______ el tono de la voz.” (Before, he used to soften the tone of his voice.)
- (a) suavizaba
- (b) suavizo
- (c) suavizabas
Answer: suavizaba — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of suavizar is suavizaba.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Mañana, nosotros ______ las reglas del juego.” (Tomorrow we will soften the rules of the game.)
- (a) suavizarás
- (b) suavizaremos
- (c) suavizaré
Answer: suavizaremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of suavizar is suavizaremos.
6. What does suavizar mean in English?
- (a) to soften
- (b) to sweat
- (c) suavizo
Answer: to soften — Suavizar means “to soften”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo suaviza la piel con crema.
- (b) Ellos suaviza el tono de la voz.
- (c) Yo suavizo la piel con crema.
Answer: Yo suavizo la piel con crema. — “Yo suavizo la piel con crema.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I soften skin with cream.” in Spanish?
- (a) Mi padre suaviza el golpe con un cojín.
- (b) Suavizo la piel con crema.
- (c) Suavizan la piel con crema.
Answer: Suavizo la piel con crema. — “Suavizo la piel con crema.” is the correct translation.
9. What is the nosotros form of suavizar in the present tense?
- (a) suavizo
- (b) suavizas
- (c) suavizamos
Answer: suavizamos — The nosotros form is suavizamos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Mañana, nosotros suavizaremos las reglas del juego.
- (b) Suavizo la piel con crema.
- (c) Ayer, yo suavicé la piel con crema.
Answer: Suavizo la piel con crema. — “Suavizo la piel con crema.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I soften skin with cream' in Spanish?
Say 'Suavizo la piel con crema'. For a routine, add a time expression: 'Suavizo la piel con crema todos los días'.
How do you say 'He softens the tone of his voice' in Spanish?
Say 'Él suaviza el tono de la voz'. The subject comes first, and the verb agrees with it: él takes suaviza.
What is the difference between suavizar and ablandar?
Suavizar means to soften, while ablandar means to soften. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use suavizar when you mean to soften, as in 'Suavizo la piel con crema', and use ablandar for to soften.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of suavizar — every tense of suavizar in one place.
- Suavizar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on suavizar and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of suavizar until they are automatic.