Spanish word

frotar

Pronunciation

IPA/fɾoˈtaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbrub

Example

Ella frota la mesa con un paño.

She rubs the table with a cloth.

Illustration for frotar (rub)

More examples

Después de llorar, me froté los ojos para calmarme.

After crying, I rubbed my eyes to calm myself down.

Core concept

Applying steady pressure while moving a hand or cloth across a surface to remove grime or bring out shine.

Common phrases

  • frotar los ojos

    rub one's eyes

  • frotar las manos

    rub one's hands

  • frotar la mesa

    rub the table

Similar words

limpiar: Removing dust and dirt from an object or area to make it clean.
lavar: Using water or detergent to wash and rinse away dirt from things or clothes.
fregar: Scrubbing a surface with a brush or scouring pad to lift stubborn dirt.
rascar: Scraping a surface with a nail or hard tool to peel off crusts or stuck-on material.

Definition in Spanish

Aplicar presión y mover una mano u objeto sobre otra superficie para quitar suciedad, pulir o producir fricción.

Word origin

From Latin fricare 'to rub', frotar is formed through Vulgar Latin and Old Spanish and keeps the original sense while adopting the regular -ar ending.

Usage tips

  • Spanish commonly uses the reflexive frotarse when rubbing body parts (e.g., frotarse los ojos), while frotar without reflexive is used for rubbing things like tables or floors.

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