Using and Conjugating the Spanish Verb Oler

Using and Conjugating the Spanish Verb Oler Just as the verb to smell can be used to refer to the act of smelling or the act of producing an odor, so can the Spanish verb oler. But the verbs are used in somewhat different ways in the two languages. Oler comes from the Latin verb olÄ“re and is related to a few English words such as olfactory and odor. How To Use Oler Oler is usually used with a direct object when telling what a person or creature smells: Me gusta oler las flores. (I like smelling the flowers.)Mi hermano no podà ­a oler la comida. (My brother couldnt smell his meal.)Olà ­amos el aire fresco del bosque. (We smelled the fresh air of the forest.) Oler can also be used figuratively in the same way:  ¡Casi puedo oler la libertad! (I can almost smell freedom!) To describe what something smells like, you can use oler a: El coche olà ­a a gasolina. (The car smelled of gasoline.)Desde que comencà © a amamantar a mi bebà © siento que huelo a vaca. (Since I started to nurse my baby I have felt that I smell like a cow.)Tu casa huele a tabaco. (Your house smells of tobacco.)No huele a los baratos perfumes. (It doesnt smell like the cheap perfumes.) Again, oler can be used this way figuratively: La casa olà ­a a dinero. (The house smelled of money.) Without an object, oler can refer to the act of smelling: No puedo oler desde hace aà ±os. (I havent been able to smell for years.) When used with an indirect-object pronoun, oler can be used to mean to suspect or to seem that when it has that meaning: Me huele que el problema no es de tu ordenador. (It seems to me that the problem isnt with your computer.)A mà ­ me huele que fuiste bruja en la vida pasada. (I suspect that you were a witch in your previous life.)Ya le ha olido lo que estamos haciendo. (She already suspects what we were doing.) The reflexive form also can be used to express suspicion: Me lo olà ­a yo desde el sbado. (Ive suspected it since Saturday.)Cuando se huele algo se evoca la memoria emocional. (When you suspect something it triggers the emotional memory.) Full Simple Conjugation of Oler Oler is conjugated regularly except that the o- of the stem changes to hue- when stressed. The irregular forms are shown below in boldface: Present indicative: yo huelo, tà º hueles, usted/à ©l/ella huele, nosotros/as olemos, vosotros/as olà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas huelen (I smell, you smell, you/he/she smell/smells, we smell, you smell, they smell) Imperfect indicative: yo olà ­a, tà º olà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella olà ­a, nosotros/as olà ­amos, vosotros/as olà ­as, ustedes/ellos/ellas olà ­an (I used to smell, you used to smell, etc.) Preterite indicative: yo olà ­, tà º oliste, usted/à ©l/ella olià ³, nosotros/as olimos, vosotros/as olà ­as, ustedes/ello/ellas olà ­an (I smelled, you smelled, etc.) Future indicative: yo olerà ©, tà º olers, usted/à ©l/ella oler, nosotros/as oleremos, vosotros/as olerà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas olern (I will smell, you will smell, etc.) Conditional: yo olerà ­a, tà º olerà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella olerà ­a, nosotros/as olerà ­amos, vosotros/as olerà ­ais, ustedes/ellos/ellas olerà ­an (I would smell, you would smell, etc.) Present subjunctive: que yo huela, que tà º huelas, que usted/à ©l/ella huela, que nosotros/as olamos, que vosotros/as olis, que ustedes/ellos/ellas huelan (that I smell, that you smell, etc.) Imperfect subjunctive (more common form): que yo oliera, que tà º olieras, que usted/à ©l/ella oliera, que nosotros/as olià ©ramos, que vosotros/as olierais, que ustedes/ellos/ellas olieran (that I smelled, that you smelled, etc.) Imperfect subjunctive (less common form): que yo oliese, que tà º olieses, que usted/à ©l/ella oliese, que nosotros/as olià ©semos, que vosotros/as olieseis, que ustedes/ellos/ellas oliesen (that I smelled, that you smelled, etc.) Imperative: huele tà º, no huelas tà º, huela usted, olamos nosotros/as, oled vosotros/as, no olis vosotros/as, huelan ustedes (Smell! Dont smell! Lets smell! Smell! Dont smell! Smell!) Compound Conjugations of Oler Perfect forms of oler use the appropriate form of haber with the part participle, olido. For example, the first-person indicative perfect of oler is he olido (I have smelled). Progressive (or continuous) forms are formed with the present participle, oliendo, and the appropriate form of estar. For example, the first-person indicative present progressive form of oler is estoy oliendo (I am smelling). Both past and present participles are conjugated regularly. Key Takeaways The verb oler can refer to smelling something or to giving off an odor.The phrase oler a is the equivalent of the English phrases to smell of and to smell like.Most forms of oler are conjugated regularly, although the stem changes when stressed.