ablanda

Ablanda is the third-person singular present indicative form of the Spanish verb ablandar, meaning to soften or tenderize. It is also used as the affirmative tú command of the same verb. The base adjective blando means soft, and a- is a prefix that helps form a causative verb: to make soft. In usage, ablanda can refer to the physical softening of foods such as meat, vegetables, or bread, the softening of materials like leather or plastics, or the reduction of hardness in other substances. It can also describe the figurative softening of attitudes, positions, or tensions.

Common related forms include ablandamiento (the act or process of softening or tenderizing) and ablandador (a softener or tenderizer, either a tool or a chemical agent). The verb participates in standard Spanish conjugation patterns and appears in culinary instructions, technical contexts, and everyday speech. For example, a cook might say, “El calor ablanda la carne,” or give a direct command, “Ablanda la mezcla.” In nonliteral use, one might encounter phrases such as “ablandar las posturas” to mean making negotiations more flexible or “ablandar el tono” to describe softening one’s manner.

Notes on usage: ablandar generally conveys a controlled or deliberate softening process, whether mechanical, thermal, chemical, or emotional. The term is common across Spanish-speaking regions and appears in cooking, manufacturing, horticulture, and interpersonal contexts.

See also: ablandamiento, ablandador, blandura.