Afirmar

Afirmar is a Spanish verb meaning "to affirm" or "to assert." It is a transitive verb used to state something as true or certain, often followed by a clause introduced by que or by a noun phrase. It is common in everyday speech as well as formal writing, including journalism and academic works.

Etymology and relation to other forms: Afirmar derives from the Latin affirmare, from ad- "to" and firmare "to make firm" or "to strengthen." This lineage is shared with related Spanish verbs such as afirmar, confirmar, and asegurar, which express related notions of truth, certainty, or support.

Conjugation and forms: Afirmar is a regular -ar verb and follows standard conjugation patterns. In the present indicative, it forms as afirmo, afirmas, afirma, afirmamos, afirmáis, afirman. The preterite (simple past) is afirmé, afirmaste, afirmó, afirmamos, afirmasteis, afirmaron. The imperfect is afirmaba, afirmabas, afirmaba, affirmábamos, afirmabais, afirmaban. The future is afirmaré, afirmarás, afirmará, afirmaremos, afirmaréis, afirmarán. The present subjunctive is afirme, afirmes, afirme, afirmemos, afirméis, afirmen. The affirmative imperative is afirma (tú), afirme (usted), afirmemos (nosotros), afirmad (vosotros), afirmen (ustedes).

Usage and nuance: Afirmar conveys a deliberate judgment that something is true, often supported by evidence or reasoning. It can introduce direct statements or indirect reported speech, as in "afirmó que llegaría a tiempo" or "afirmamos nuestra posición." Depending on context, it can carry neutral, assertive, or emphatic tones and is frequently contrasted with negar or dudar.

See also: asegurar, sostener, declarar, proponer. In comparative usage, negar expresses the opposite, contesting or denying a proposition.