abreviar

To abbreviate or shorten — a word, a text, a process, or, colloquially, a conversation someone wants to speed up: '¡abrevia!' ('get to the point!'). Distinct from resumir (to summarize content) — abreviar is about making something shorter or faster, not condensing its meaning.

• ¿Podemos abreviar 'usted' como 'Ud.'? — Can we abbreviate 'usted' as 'Ud.'?
• El jefe pidió abreviar la reunión porque tenía otro compromiso. — The boss asked to shorten the meeting because he had another commitment.
• Abrevia, que no tenemos toda la tarde. — Get to the point, we don't have all afternoon.

Don't use abreviar when you mean resumir — abreviar shortens length or time, resumir condenses content into its main points; a long report can be resumido (summarized) without necessarily being abreviado (shortened).

Often confused with resumir.