atraco
/ah-TRAH-koh/
robbery
Atraco as a robbery involving the theft of money.
atraco(noun)
robbery
?a crime where someone takes something by force
hold-up
?specifically a robbery involving a weapon
,heist
?a large-scale or planned robbery, like a bank heist
📝 In Action
La policía llegó cinco minutos después del atraco al banco.
B1The police arrived five minutes after the bank robbery.
Fue un atraco a mano armada, pero afortunadamente nadie salió herido.
B2It was an armed robbery, but fortunately no one was hurt.
💡 Grammar Points
Atraco vs. Robo
While both mean stealing, 'atraco' almost always implies that the victim was present and threatened with force. A 'robo' can be someone stealing your wallet while you aren't looking.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using it as a verb
Mistake: "Yo atraco la tienda."
Correction: Yo atraco is technically the 'I' form of the verb, but usually people mean the noun. To say 'The robbery,' use 'El atraco.'
⭐ Usage Tips
News Context
You will see this word constantly in Spanish news headlines (crónica negra) to describe bank or store robberies.
Atraco as a rip-off, where the price paid is unfairly high for what is received.
atraco(noun)
rip-off
?referring to an unfairly high price
daylight robbery
?an idiom for being overcharged
📝 In Action
¡Pagar quince euros por una hamburguesa pequeña es un atraco!
B1Paying fifteen euros for a small burger is a rip-off!
💡 Grammar Points
Exclamations
Use 'es un' before atraco to emphasize that a price is crazy. 'Es un atraco' is like saying 'It's a crime!'
⭐ Usage Tips
Tone Matters
Only use this meaning in informal settings, like with friends or family, when complaining about a bill at a restaurant.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: atraco
Question 1 of 1
If you pay $10 for a bottle of water, you might say...
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'atraco' the same as 'robo'?
Not exactly. 'Robo' is a general word for theft. 'Atraco' specifically implies a hold-up or robbery where the victim is confronted, often with a weapon or threat.
Can 'atraco' be a verb?
Yes, 'atraco' is also the 'I' form of the verb 'atracar' in the present tense (e.g., 'Yo atraco'). However, in almost all other contexts, it's used as a noun meaning 'robbery'.