atar
“atar” means “to tie” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to tie
Also: to fasten, to bind
📝 In Action
Tengo que atar mis zapatos.
A1I have to tie my shoes.
Él ató el paquete con una cuerda roja.
A2He tied the package with a red string.
Ata al perro antes de entrar a la tienda.
A2Tie the dog up before going into the store.
to connect
Also: to piecing together
📝 In Action
Después de hablar con ella, empecé a atar cabos.
B2After talking to her, I started to put two and two together.
La policía no pudo atar al sospechoso con el crimen.
B2The police couldn't link the suspect to the crime.
Es difícil atar todos los detalles de esta historia.
C1It is difficult to connect all the details of this story.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: atar
Question 1 of 3
If you just figured out a mystery by connecting different clues, what are you doing?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'aptare', which meant to fit, adjust, or prepare. Over time, the meaning shifted from 'fitting something' to 'fastening something down with a rope'.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'atar' for tying a tie (necktie)?
While you can say 'atar la corbata', it is much more common to use 'hacerse el nudo de la corbata' (to make the knot of the tie) or 'ponerse la corbata'.
Is 'atar' a regular verb?
Yes! It follows the most basic Spanish verb pattern for verbs ending in -ar, making it very easy to conjugate.
Is there a difference between 'atar' and 'amarrar'?
In essence, they mean the same thing. 'Atar' is slightly more formal or standard in Spain, while 'amarrar' is more rugged and very common in Latin America.