atacan
/ah-TAH-kahn/
they attack
The word 'atacan' can refer to a physical or military action, like knights charging into battle.
atacan(verb)
they attack
?physical or military action
,you all attack
?formal plural usage in Spain or general plural in Latin America
they are attacking
?action happening right now
📝 In Action
Los leones atacan en grupo para cazar.
A2Lions attack in a group to hunt.
Ustedes atacan el problema desde el ángulo equivocado.
B1You all are attacking the problem from the wrong angle.
💡 Grammar Points
Who is doing the action?
The ending '-an' tells you that more than one person (they or you all) is performing the action right now.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Spelling Change Alert
Mistake: "ataqué vs atacé"
Correction: While 'atacan' uses a 'c', some other forms use 'qu' (like 'ataqué') to keep the hard 'K' sound. In 'atacan', the 'c' naturally makes the 'K' sound because it is followed by 'a'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Sports Talk
Use this word when talking about a team going on the offensive in soccer or basketball.
In a different context, 'atacan' can mean to criticize or challenge an idea or work.
atacan(verb)
they criticize
?verbal or intellectual attack
they challenge
?opposing an idea or policy
📝 In Action
Los críticos atacan la nueva película del director.
B1The critics are attacking the director's new movie.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
Just like in English, 'attack' doesn't always mean hitting someone; it can mean using words to show you disagree strongly.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: atacan
Question 1 of 1
Which of these sentences means 'The viruses attack the cells'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'atacan' always mean a physical fight?
No. It is often used in sports (attacking the goal) or in medicine (bacteria attacking the body).
What is the difference between 'ataca' and 'atacan'?
'Ataca' is for one person (he/she/it attacks), while 'atacan' is for multiple people (they/you all attack).