iluminar

Senses

1. 1.

   to light up, to illuminate

   to provide light to something, make it bright

2. 2.

   to enlighten

   to give knowledge or spiritual insight to someone

3. 3.

   to brighten (up)

   to make someone's face or mood visibly happier

Examples

• "As velas iluminavam a sala durante o apagão."

  The candles lit up the room during the blackout.

• "A professora conseguiu iluminar minha mente sobre aquele conceito difícil."

  The teacher managed to enlighten my mind about that difficult concept.

• "O sorriso dela iluminou meu dia."

  Her smile brightened my day.

Usage

Regular -ar verb. Common in both literal (lighting) and figurative (enlightenment, joy) contexts. Often used reflexively as "iluminar-se" (to light up, become illuminated). Common collocations: iluminar o caminho (light the way), iluminar a vida de alguém (brighten someone's life).