Inklingo

arrodillar

ah-rro-dee-yararoðiˈʝar

arrodillar means to kneel in Spanish (to make someone else go down on their knees).

to kneel

Also: to bring to one's knees
VerbB1regular ar
General
A knight in shining armor gently placing a hand on a squire's shoulder, guiding him to lower one knee to the ground.
gerundarrodillando
past Participlearrodillado
infinitivearrodillar

📝 In Action

El castigo lo arrodilló frente a todos.

B1

The punishment made him kneel in front of everyone.

La crisis arrodilló a las pequeñas empresas.

B2

The crisis brought the small businesses to their knees.

No pudieron arrodillar al pueblo con amenazas.

C1

They couldn't break the people's spirit with threats.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • hincar (to drive in / to kneel (hincar las rodillas))
  • doblegar (to bend / to break someone's will)

Antonyms

  • levantar (to lift / to raise up)
  • erguir (to straighten / to stand tall)

Common Collocations

  • arrodillar ante alguiento make someone kneel before someone else
  • querer arrodillarto want to humble/defeat

Idioms & Expressions

  • arrodillar al rivalTo completely dominate or defeat an opponent

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesarrodillaran
yoarrodillara
arrodillaras
vosotrosarrodillarais
nosotrosarrodilláramos
él/ella/ustedarrodillara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesarrodillen
yoarrodille
arrodilles
vosotrosarrodilléis
nosotrosarrodillemos
él/ella/ustedarrodille

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesarrodillaron
yoarrodillé
arrodillaste
vosotrosarrodillasteis
nosotrosarrodillamos
él/ella/ustedarrodilló

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesarrodillaban
yoarrodillaba
arrodillabas
vosotrosarrodillabais
nosotrosarrodillábamos
él/ella/ustedarrodillaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesarrodillan
yoarrodillo
arrodillas
vosotrosarrodilláis
nosotrosarrodillamos
él/ella/ustedarrodilla

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "arrodillar" in Spanish:

to kneel

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: arrodillar

Question 1 of 3

What is the primary root word of 'arrodillar'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
rodilla(knee)Noun
rodillazo(a blow with the knee)Noun
rodillera(knee pad)Noun
arrodillarse(to kneel down (yourself))Verb
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

Derived from the Spanish noun 'rodilla' (knee), which comes from the Latin 'rotella', meaning 'little wheel' (referring to the kneecap).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: ajoelharItalian: inginocchiare

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'arrodillar' and 'arrodillarse'?

'Arrodillar' means to make someone else kneel. 'Arrodillarse' is reflexive and means you are kneeling down yourself.

Is 'arrodillar' a regular verb?

Yes, it follows the standard conjugation patterns for verbs ending in '-ar' in all tenses.

Can 'arrodillar' be used for objects?

Rarely. It is almost exclusively used for people or personified entities (like a country or a company) that can metaphorically or physically have 'knees'.