Spanish Conversation · Level 63
76 words
Spanish word
asalto
Pronunciation
IPA/aˈsalto/
Meaning
- masculine nounrobbery
Example
Un hombre cometió un asalto en la tienda a plena luz del día.
A man committed a robbery in the store in broad daylight.
More examples
La policía evitó un asalto gracias a la alerta vecinal.
The police prevented a robbery thanks to the neighborhood alert.
Core concept
A violent seizure of goods by approaching and overpowering a victim or location through force or threats.
Common phrases
cometer un asalto
commit a robbery
asalto a mano armada
armed robbery
intento de asalto
attempted robbery
Similar words
robo: Act of taking someone else's property without legal right.
atraco: Violent hold-up in a shop or bank that uses weapons or intimidation to steal cash or goods.
hurto: Quiet theft in which items are removed while the owner is unaware.
agresión: Violent act that injures or endangers a person's body.
Definition in Spanish
Robo violento que implica acercarse a una víctima o a un lugar para despojar mediante fuerza, amenaza o arma.
Word origin
From ad- + saltare 'to jump', the original image of leaping at someone becomes a word for sudden forcible robberies.
Usage tips
- Although it resembles English assault, asalto in Spanish commonly denotes a robbery involving force rather than any non-theft physical attack.