Spanish Conversation · Level 35
75 words
Spanish word
arañar
Pronunciation
IPA/aɾaˈɲaɾ/
Meaning
- verbscratch
Example
¡Cuidado! El gato te puede arañar.
Be careful, the cat might scratch you.
More examples
El perro intentó arañar al cartero.
The dog tried to scratch the mailman.
Core concept
Cat claw leaving a thin superficial scratch on skin.
Common phrases
arañar a alguien
scratch someone
arañar la piel
scratch the skin
arañar el coche
scratch the car
Similar words
rascar: Rubs skin or a surface with nails or a tool to relieve or soothe an itch.
rasguñar: Makes small, shallow scratches or streaks on skin or surfaces with a nail or sharp tip.
raspar: Scrapes a hard surface forcefully, wearing away material or coating.
Definition in Spanish
Hacer una marca o un rasguño superficial al rozar con las uñas, garras o un borde; en sentido figurado, rozar o alcanzar algo por un margen estrecho.
Word origin
From the noun araña 'spider' (from Latin arānea 'spider, cobweb'), converted into a verb to mean making superficial marks with nails, claws, or a sharp edge.
Usage tips
- Used both for literal scratches and figuratively to mean barely reaching or getting something (e.g., arañar un punto), contrasted with rascar, which usually means to rub an itch.
Other meanings
- grazeverb
- scrape togetherverb
Opposites
- acariciarpetverb
Related words
- arañazoscratchnoun
- arañadoscratchedadjective