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arranca

ah-RRAHN-kah/aˈraŋka/

starts, takes off

Also: gets going
VerbA2regular (with spelling change in subjunctive/some tenses) ar
A simple red car sitting stationary, with a small puff of white smoke coming out of its tailpipe, signifying the engine has just started.
gerundarrancando
infinitivearrancar
past Participlearrancado

📝 In Action

El coche no arranca por el frío.

A2

The car won't start because of the cold.

Ella arranca a correr cuando ve el autobús.

B1

She starts running when she sees the bus.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • arrancar el motor – to start the engine
  • arrancar en primera – to start in first gear

pulls out, rips off

Also: yanks
VerbB1regular ar
A green hand forcefully pulling a large, rooted dandelion weed straight up out of the brown soil.

📝 In Action

El dentista le arranca la muela sin dolor.

B1

The dentist pulls out his tooth without pain.

Arranca las malas hierbas del jardín cada semana.

A2

She pulls out the weeds from the garden every week.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • extraer (to extract)
  • sacar (to take out)

Common Collocations

  • arrancar una hoja – to tear off a page
  • arrancar de raíz – to tear out by the root (figurative: to eliminate completely)

Start!, Pull out!

Also: Get going!
VerbA2regular ar
A friendly person standing next to a lawnmower, giving a decisive thumbs-up gesture towards their friend, signaling them to start the machine.

📝 In Action

¡Arranca, que vamos tarde!

A2

Start (the car), we are late!

Arranca esa pegatina que está fea.

A2

Pull off that sticker, it's ugly.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

yoarrancara/arrancase
él/ella/ustedarrancara/arrancase
túarrancaras/arrancases
vosotrosarrancarais/arrancaseis
nosotrosarrancáramos/arrancásemos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarrancaran/arrancasen

present

yoarranque
él/ella/ustedarranque
túarranques
vosotrosarranquéis
nosotrosarranquemos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarranquen

indicative

imperfect

yoarrancaba
él/ella/ustedarrancaba
túarrancabas
vosotrosarrancabais
nosotrosarrancábamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarrancaban

present

yoarranco
él/ella/ustedarranca
túarrancas
vosotrosarrancáis
nosotrosarrancamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarrancan

preterite

yoarranqué
él/ella/ustedarrancó
túarrancaste
vosotrosarrancasteis
nosotrosarrancamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarrancaron
View All Tenses & Moods →

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✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: arranca

Question 1 of 2

Which meaning of 'arranca' is used in the sentence: 'Mi vecino arranca el coche a las siete en punto.'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
arrancar(to start, to pull out) — Verb
arranque(start, beginning (noun)) — Noun
arrancador(starter (device)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
blancafranca
📚 Etymology▼

The verb 'arrancar' comes from the older Spanish word 'rancar,' which likely had Germanic roots related to seizing or pulling. The 'a-' prefix was added later, emphasizing the beginning or initiation of the action.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: arrancarCatalan: arrancar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'arranca' have two different grammatical functions (present tense and command)?

This is very common in Spanish! For most regular verbs, the friendly command form (the 'tú' imperative) is exactly the same word as the 'he/she/it' form in the present tense. It saves you from learning extra forms.

Is 'arrancar' used only for physical starting, or can it be figurative?

It can be figurative. You can say 'arrancar una sonrisa' (to elicit a smile) or 'arrancar un compromiso' (to extract a promise), meaning to pull out something non-physical.