Meanings of oler

Hola de nuevo Marcos R.

Great observations — you’ve actually captured the key uses of oler very well 👍

Let me just clarify and fine-tune them, because the differences are subtle but important.

1. Oler + noun (no preposition)
   This means to smell something (the act of perceiving a smell):

• Huelo flores. → I smell flowers.

• Huelo humo. → I smell smoke.

2. Oler + adjective
   This describes how something smells:

• Huele bien / huele fatal. → It smells good / it smells awful.

3. Oler a + noun
   This means to smell like / to have the smell of something:

• Huele a chocolate. → It smells like chocolate.

• La cocina huele a pollo quemado. → The kitchen smells of burnt chicken.

When you say “Oléis a pollo quemado”, Google Translate is actually correct: You smell like burnt chicken.

Here, oler a is not about perceiving a smell, but about emitting or having that smell.

So, in short:

• oler + noun → you perceive a smell

• oler a + noun → something (or someone!) has that smell

• oler + adjective → how it smells

Your summary is already on the right track — it’s just a matter of keeping clear whether the subject is smelling something or smelling like something.

¡Muy buen análisis!

Hasta pronto

Silvia