Spanish Conversation · Level 11
90 words
Spanish word
insultar
Pronunciation
IPA/insulˈtaɾ/
Meaning
- verbinsult
Example
No debes insultar a otras personas.
You should not insult other people.
More examples
En redes sociales es fácil insultar y eso puede herir a otros.
On social media it's easy to insult and that can hurt others.
Core concept
A humiliating verbal jab.
Common phrases
insultar a alguien
insult someone
insultar en redes sociales
insult on social media
Similar words
ofender: Hurts someone's feelings through words or actions.
humillar: Treats someone as inferior and makes them feel ashamed.
burlarse: Mocks someone openly to make them a laughing stock.
menospreciar: Treats someone's worth or abilities as unimportant.
Definition in Spanish
Insultar es ofender a otra persona con palabras o gestos para humillarla.
Word origin
Spanish insultar comes from Latin insultare via Old Spanish, keeping the figurative 'leap at' sense but applied to words instead of a physical attack.
Usage tips
- When the target is a person, insultar requires the personal a (insultar a alguien), a frequent grammar pitfall for English speakers.