profundar

Profundar is a Spanish verb that means to make something deeper or to delve into a subject in depth. In physical contexts it can refer to increasing the depth of an object or space, such as a well or a channel. In figurative use, it denotes studying, examining, or investigating a topic with thoroughness, and is commonly followed by en to indicate the focus of the depth.

Etymology and related terms: Profundar derives from profundo, meaning deep, which in turn comes from Latin profundus. The verb is closely related to profundizar; both share the same root and can often be used to express going into greater detail. Profundar is generally more formal or less common in everyday speech, while profundizar is widely used for intellectual or analytical depth.

Usage in sentences: The phrase profundar en un tema is standard for “delving into a topic.” Profundar can also appear with a direct object in contexts like profundar una investigación (to deepen an investigation) or profundar un conocimiento (to deepen knowledge). In practice, many speakers prefer profundizar for the sense of going into detail, but profundar remains correct and is encountered in formal or technical writing.

Conjugation and grammar: Profundar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugation follows the standard pattern for this group. It takes objects and prepositional phrases (such as en) to indicate the area of depth and can be used across tenses to describe both physical and metaphorical depth. Related nouns include profundidad (depth) and profundización (deepening).

See also: profundo, profundidad, profundización, profundizar.