arrancar
“arrancar” means “to start” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to start
Also: to boot up
📝 In Action
El coche no quiere arrancar en las mañanas frías.
A2The car doesn't want to start on cold mornings.
Espera un momento, el ordenador está arrancando.
B1Wait a moment, the computer is booting up.
to pull out
Also: to uproot, to tear off
📝 In Action
Tienes que arrancar la mala hierba de raíz.
B1You have to pull out the weeds by the root.
Arrancó una hoja de su cuaderno para escribir una nota.
B1He tore a page out of his notebook to write a note.
to snatch
Also: to draw out
📝 In Action
Logró arrancarle un secreto a su amigo.
B2He managed to draw a secret out of his friend.
Su chiste le arrancó una carcajada a todo el mundo.
B2His joke drew a loud laugh from everyone.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: arrancar
Question 1 of 2
Which of these is the correct 'I' form for the past tense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'eradicare', which means 'to pull up by the roots'. You can see how the modern meaning evolved from gardening to starting a car!
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'arrancar' and 'empezar'?
'Empezar' is a general word for 'to start' (like starting a book or a movie). 'Arrancar' is more physical or mechanical—like starting an engine or literally pulling something out of the ground.
Can I use 'arrancar' for a computer?
Yes! In the tech world, 'arrancar' is used for booting up a computer or starting an application.