varía

Varía is a Spanish verb form meaning “varies.” It is the third-person singular present indicative of variar (to vary, to differ), and it can also appear as the affirmative tú command form, in which case it has the same spelling and pronunciation but a different function in a sentence.

The verb variar comes from Latin variāre, related to varius meaning changeable or diverse. Varía is part of a regular -ar verb conjugation, with the present tense forms including: yo varío, tú varías, él/ella/usted varía, nosotros variamos, vosotros variáis, ellos/ellas/ustedes varían. Note that the yo form has a stress-shift and an accent (varío), while the tú and él/ella/usted forms use accents to indicate correct pronunciation.

In use, varía describes something that changes or differs depending on conditions. Examples: El precio varía según la demanda. La temperatura varía con la altitud. The term can appear in discussions of statistics, economics, or natural phenomena to indicate fluctuations or disparities across times, places, or groups.

Varía is closely related to other forms and nouns such as variación (variation) and variable (variable, in Spanish often used as a noun or adjective). Learners should note that the accent in varía helps distinguish it from other forms and ensures correct stress in spoken Spanish.

See also: variar, variación, variable.