Introduction
borrarán is a useful Spanish verb form for talking about things that people will erase, delete, or wipe away. You may see it in conversations about a computer, a classroom board, a written note, or a mark on a page. It can also appear in instructions, announcements, and predictions about what a group of people will do later. Learning this form helps you understand future plans and recognize who is expected to act, even when the sentence does not name the people directly.
The word comes from the verb borrar, which means to erase or delete. Its ending shows that the action will happen in the future and that the subject is plural. Depending on the sentence, that subject may be they or you when speaking politely to more than one person. In this guide, you will learn the form’s meaning, pronunciation, grammar, and everyday uses. Clear examples will also help you tell it apart from related Spanish words such as eliminar and tachar.
Meaning and Definition
borrarán is the simple future form of the Spanish verb borrar. Its basic meaning is they will erase or they will delete. It can also mean you will erase or you will delete when addressing a group formally with ustedes. The subject is often left out in Spanish because the verb ending gives listeners important information, but the subject can be added for clarity.
The infinitive borrar has several closely related meanings. It can describe removing a pencil mark from paper, wiping writing off a board, deleting a file from a device, or removing text from a draft. In each case, something that was visible or saved is taken away. The exact English translation depends on what is being erased. For example, a person may erase a drawing, delete a message, or wipe a mark away.
The form is built from the infinitive borrar and the future ending -án. Spanish regular verbs ending in -ar use the same future endings as verbs ending in -er and -ir. The endings are added to the full infinitive, rather than to a shortened verb stem. For borrar, the relevant pattern is borrar + -án. The ending indicates a third-person plural subject, or the formal plural subject ustedes.
Here is the full future pattern for this verb: yo borraré means I will erase; tú borrarás means you will erase; él, ella, or usted borrará means he, she, or you will erase; nosotros borraremos means we will erase; vosotros borraréis means you all will erase in Spain; and ellos, ellas, or ustedes borrarán means they or you all will erase. The final form is the one used when the subject is plural.
The future tense normally places an action after the moment of speaking. It can refer to a definite plan, a promise, a prediction, or a decision. For instance, a teacher might say that students will erase the board after class. A computer user might explain that a team will delete old copies of a document tomorrow. The verb itself does not tell you whether the action is planned or predicted; the surrounding words provide that detail.
Borrar has a long history in Spanish, though its deeper origin is not certain. It has been used for the idea of rubbing or wiping something away. For learners, the most useful point is the connection between borrar and familiar words such as borrador, which can mean an eraser or a draft, depending on context. These related words share the idea of removing, revising, or making a first version.
Usage and Example Sentences
The following examples show how borrarán works with different subjects and objects. Notice that Spanish often omits a subject pronoun when the situation already makes the subject clear. Each sentence includes an English translation to show which meaning of borrar fits the context.
Spanish: Los estudiantes borrarán las respuestas de la pizarra al final de la clase.
English: The students will erase the answers from the board at the end of class.
Spanish: Ustedes borrarán las palabras que ya no necesitan en el documento.
English: You will delete the words you no longer need in the document.
Spanish: Mis hermanas borrarán las marcas de lápiz antes de entregar el dibujo.
English: My sisters will erase the pencil marks before handing in the drawing.
Spanish: ¿Borrarán el archivo antiguo después de guardar la versión nueva?
English: Will they delete the old file after saving the new version?
Spanish: Mañana, los niños borrarán el diseño y empezarán otra vez.
English: Tomorrow, the children will erase the design and start again.
Spanish: Las editoras borrarán las frases repetidas durante la revisión.
English: The editors will remove the repeated phrases during the review.
Spanish: Si escriben con lápiz, borrarán el error con facilidad.
English: If they write in pencil, they will erase the mistake easily.
Spanish: Al terminar la actividad, ustedes borrarán sus notas del tablero compartido.
English: When the activity is over, you will delete your notes from the shared board.
In these examples, the verb changes meaning slightly according to its object. With las respuestas de la pizarra, it means erase writing from a physical surface. With el archivo antiguo or las notas del tablero compartido, it refers to digital deletion. With phrases and repeated words, it can mean remove or cut text. Spanish speakers choose the most natural English equivalent based on the object and the situation.
The form can also appear with a subject pronoun such as ellos, ellas, or ustedes. Pronouns are not always required, but speakers may include them to emphasize who will do the action or to make the subject clear. Compare Ellos borrarán el dibujo, meaning They will erase the drawing, with Borrarán el dibujo, which has the same likely meaning when the group is already known from the conversation.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Word Usage Differences
A useful synonym for borrar is eliminar, which means to eliminate, remove, or delete. In technology, eliminar un archivo is a common way to say delete a file. Borrar un archivo is also natural and often emphasizes making the file disappear from a screen, list, or storage area. The two verbs can overlap, but eliminar may sound a little more general or formal, while borrar can feel more concrete and visual.
Tachar means to cross out. It is usually used when someone draws a line through a written word or item but leaves it visible on the page. If a writer changes a sentence on paper, they might tachar una palabra, or cross out a word. If they remove the word completely with an eraser or editing tool, borrar may be more suitable. This difference helps you choose the right verb for paper, handwriting, and text revision.
Quitar means to take away or remove. It is broader than borrar because it does not always involve erasing a mark or deleting information. You can quitar una etiqueta, take off a label, or quitar una palabra de una lista, remove a word from a list. Borrar is a better choice when the action specifically involves erasing, wiping, or deleting something recorded or visible.
Another related verb is limpiar, meaning to clean. It can describe cleaning a surface, and in some situations it may suggest wiping marks away. However, limpiar usually focuses on making an area clean rather than on erasing specific writing or deleting a particular file. If someone wipes a board clean, limpiar may describe the cleaning activity, while borrar focuses on removing the writing.
Possible opposites depend on the context. For written material, escribir means to write, and añadir means to add. If a person deletes a sentence, the opposite action might be to add or restore it. In a digital setting, guardar means to save, although saving is not a direct opposite of deleting. For a mark on paper, dibujar means to draw, which can create a mark rather than remove one. Choose an opposite that matches the action, not just the general topic.
Spanish also has the expression borrar de la memoria, meaning to erase from memory, but this is figurative rather than a literal action. For simple learner examples, it is helpful to focus first on a board, page, or digital document. Context tells you whether the intended English word is erase, delete, wipe, or remove. The basic idea remains that something is being taken away from a surface, text, or stored information.
Pronunciation and Accent
A common IPA pronunciation for borrarán is /bo.βɾaˈɾan/. The exact sound of the letter b can vary slightly depending on its position and the speaker’s accent. The word has three syllables: bo-rra-rán. In many Spanish accents, the r in the middle is a quick tap of the tongue, similar to the single r in pero. The double rr is pronounced with a stronger trill, as in the middle of the word.
The stress falls on the final syllable, rán. The written accent mark over á shows this stress clearly. Without the accent mark, the spelling borraran would normally be read with stress on the second-to-last syllable, following standard Spanish stress rules. The accent is not decoration: it helps distinguish the future form from other verb forms that look similar.
English speakers sometimes pronounce the Spanish r like the English r, but Spanish r sounds are made with the tongue near the ridge just behind the upper teeth. For the double rr in borrar, practice a light tongue trill. If the trill is difficult at first, aim for a clear Spanish tap and listen to native speech. The word is still understandable when a learner is building confidence, but practicing the r sound will make the pronunciation more natural.
Do not add an extra syllable after the final n, and do not move the stress to the first syllable. Say bo-rra-RÁN, keeping the final syllable clear. The accent mark signals that emphasis, while the ending -án also helps you recognize a future-tense form for a plural subject.
Native Speaker Nuance and Usage Context
In everyday Spanish, speakers use borrarán when the future action is connected to a group. The subject might be classmates, coworkers, family members, or people using a shared device. The verb can sound neutral and direct. It does not by itself express anger, urgency, or a special level of politeness. Those feelings come from the speaker’s tone and the other words in the sentence.
In a classroom, someone might use the form to explain what students will do with the board or their notes. In an office, it can describe a planned edit to a shared document. In a technology setting, it may refer to removing files, saved drafts, or entries from a list. The same verb works across these settings because each involves making written or stored material disappear.
Ustedes borrarán is grammatically plural and can address a group directly. In most of Latin America, ustedes is the ordinary way to say you all. In Spain, vosotros is common for informal groups, while ustedes is generally used in more formal situations or in certain regions. The corresponding Spain form is borraréis, but the form borrarán remains the standard choice with ellos, ellas, and ustedes throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
Spanish speakers often leave out the subject when it is obvious. If everyone has already been discussing the students, a speaker can simply say Borrarán las palabras después. The ending tells listeners that the subject is plural, and the conversation identifies the group. When several groups are being discussed, adding ellos, ellas, or ustedes can prevent confusion or add emphasis.
The simple future is not the only way to talk about what will happen. Spanish speakers also commonly use ir a plus the infinitive, as in van a borrar, meaning they are going to erase or delete. The simple future often sounds concise and can be useful for predictions, announcements, or statements about later actions. The ir a construction can highlight a plan or intention. In many situations, both forms are natural, and the choice depends on the speaker’s style and the meaning they want to emphasize.
When translating, avoid assuming that borrar always means erase. In a sentence about a file, delete will usually sound more natural in English. For a board or pencil mark, erase is a better match. If the object is a phrase in a draft, remove may fit best. Pay attention to the object, the setting, and what happens to the material after the action.
Conclusion
borrarán means they will erase or delete, and it can also mean you will erase or delete when addressing a group formally with ustedes. It is the simple future form of borrar, made by adding the future ending -án to the infinitive. That ending identifies a plural subject, while the accent mark shows that the final syllable receives the stress. The word can describe removing pencil marks, clearing writing from a board, deleting digital information, or taking unnecessary text out of a draft.
To use the form naturally, look at the subject and the object in the sentence. Compare borrar with eliminar, tachar, quitar, and limpiar so you can choose the verb that fits the action. Practice saying bo-rra-RÁN and listen for the Spanish r sounds. Then make your own sentences about a class board, a shared document, or a drawing. Learning this one form gives you a practical way to discuss future plans and understand everyday Spanish in both physical and digital settings.
