Inklingo
← Dictionary

arañar

ah-rah-nyaraɾaˈɲaɾ

“arañar” means “to scratch” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to scratch

Also: to claw
VerbA2regular ar
A close-up of a small cat's paw with its claws extended, leaving a light mark on a wooden surface.
gerundarañando
past Participlearañado
infinitivearañar

📝 In Action

El gato me arañó la mano cuando intenté jugar con él.

A2

The cat scratched my hand when I tried to play with him.

Ten cuidado con las rosas, las espinas pueden arañarte.

B1

Be careful with the roses; the thorns can scratch you.

El niño se arañó la cara accidentalmente.

A2

The boy scratched his face accidentally.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • rasguñar (to scratch/scrape)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • arañar la superficie – to scratch the surface

to scrape together

Also: to eke out
VerbB2regular ar
A pair of hands carefully gathering a few scattered gold coins into a small pile on a table.
gerundarañando
past Participlearañado
infinitivearañar

📝 In Action

El equipo logró arañar un punto en el último minuto del partido.

B2

The team managed to scrape a point in the last minute of the game.

El candidato está intentando arañar unos cuantos votos en las zonas rurales.

C1

The candidate is trying to scrape together a few votes in rural areas.

Tenemos que arañar tiempo de donde sea para terminar el proyecto.

B2

We need to eke out time from wherever possible to finish the project.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • rebañar (to scrape up/gather)
  • conseguir (to obtain)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • arañar votos – to scrape together votes
  • arañar unos minutos – to scrape together a few minutes
  • arañar segundos al reloj – to shave seconds off the clock

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesarañaran
yoarañara
túarañaras
vosotrosarañarais
nosotrosarañáramos
él/ella/ustedarañara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesarañen
yoarañe
túarañes
vosotrosarañéis
nosotrosarañemos
él/ella/ustedarañe

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesarañaron
yoarañé
túarañaste
vosotrosarañasteis
nosotrosarañamos
él/ella/ustedarañó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesarañaban
yoarañaba
túarañabas
vosotrosarañabais
nosotrosarañábamos
él/ella/ustedarañaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesarañan
yoaraño
túarañas
vosotrosarañáis
nosotrosarañamos
él/ella/ustedaraña
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "arañar" in Spanish:

to claw→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: arañar

Question 1 of 3

If your leg is itchy and you want to feel better, which verb should you use?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
araña(spider) — Noun
arañazo(a physical scratch) — Noun
arañita(little spider / small scratch) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
acompañarsoñarengañar
📚 Etymology▼

From the noun 'araña' (spider), which comes from Latin 'aranea'. The connection is likely due to the thin, thread-like marks left by a scratch, resembling a spider's legs or its web.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: arranharItalian: arrancare

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'arañar' related to the word for spider?

Yes! 'Araña' means spider. The verb 'arañar' comes from the same root because a scratch looks like the thin line of a spider's leg or web.

Can I use 'arañar' for a car scratch?

Absolutely. If someone keys a car or it hits a branch, you would say 'el coche está arañado' (the car is scratched).

Is it a common word?

Yes, it is the standard word for any scratch made by fingernails, claws, or sharp objects like thorns and wire.