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arrestar

ah-rrehs-TAHRa.resˈtaɾ

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

to arrest

Also: to detain, to take into custody
VerbB1regular ar
A uniformed authority figure gently placing one hand on the wrist of a civilian figure, symbolizing taking them into custody.
gerundarrestando
infinitivearrestar
past Participlearrestado

📝 In Action

La policía logró arrestar al sospechoso después de la persecución.

B1

The police managed to arrest the suspect after the chase.

Arrestaron a varias personas por el disturbio.

B2

They arrested several people for the disturbance.

Si te arrestan, tienes derecho a hacer una llamada.

B1

If they arrest you, you have the right to make one phone call.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • orden de arresto – arrest warrant
  • arrestar a alguien sin fianza – to arrest someone without bail

to check

Also: to halt, to impede
VerbC1regular arformal
A large, solid gray wall successfully blocking the forceful forward movement of a stylized blue wave, illustrating the stopping of progress.
gerundarrestando
infinitivearrestar
past Participlearrestado

📝 In Action

Los médicos intentaron arrestar el avance de la enfermedad.

C1

The doctors tried to halt the advance of the disease.

El gobierno debe arrestar el deterioro del sistema educativo.

C2

The government must check the deterioration of the educational system.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • arrestar el proceso – to halt the process
  • arrestar una hemorragia – to stop bleeding

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

yoarrestara/arrestase
él/ella/ustedarrestara/arrestase
túarrestaras/arrestases
vosotrosarrestarais/arrestaseis
nosotrosarrestáramos/arrestásemos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarrestaran/arrestasen

present

yoarreste
él/ella/ustedarreste
túarrestes
vosotrosarrestéis
nosotrosarrestemos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarresten

indicative

imperfect

yoarrestaba
él/ella/ustedarrestaba
túarrestabas
vosotrosarrestabais
nosotrosarrestábamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarrestaban

present

yoarresto
él/ella/ustedarresta
túarrestas
vosotrosarrestáis
nosotrosarrestamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarrestan

preterite

yoarresté
él/ella/ustedarrestó
túarrestaste
vosotrosarrestasteis
nosotrosarrestamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesarrestaron
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "arrestar" in Spanish:

to arrest→to check→to detain→to halt→to impede→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: arrestar

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'arrestar' in its figurative, formal meaning (to halt a process)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
el arresto(the arrest / the detention) — Noun
arrestado/a(arrested) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Late Latin word *arrestare*, which was formed from the prefix *ad-* (meaning 'to' or 'toward') and *restare* (meaning 'to remain' or 'to stay'). The original sense was simply 'to cause to stay put' or 'to stop,' which evolved into the modern sense of legal detention.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: to arrestFrench: arrêterPortuguese: arrestar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'arrestar' used for things other than crime?

Yes, although less frequently. In formal language, 'arrestar' can mean to stop the progress of something negative, like a disease, decay, or a bad trend. Think of it as 'putting a stop to' something.

How do I say 'house arrest'?

The correct phrase is 'arresto domiciliario' or 'prisión domiciliaria.' You would use the noun form, 'el arresto,' not the verb 'arrestar.'