atraparon
ah-trah-PAH-rohn
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Los policías atraparon al ladrón después de una hora.
A2The police caught the thief after one hour.
Atraparon la pelota antes de que tocara el suelo.
A2They caught the ball before it touched the ground.
¿Ustedes atraparon al perro que se escapó?
B1Did you all catch the dog that escaped?
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying the 'Who' and 'When'
The ending '-aron' tells you two things: the action happened in the past, and it was done by more than one person (they, or a group of people you are talking to).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up Present and Past
Mistake: "Using 'atrapan' when you mean 'they caught'."
Correction: Use 'atraparon' for things that are finished. 'Atrapan' means 'they catch' (right now or usually).
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'Personal A'
When 'atraparon' is used with a person (like 'the thief'), remember to put 'al' or 'a' before the person: 'Atraparon AL ladrón'.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: atraparon
Question 1 of 1
Which of these means 'They caught the ball'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'atraparon' only mean 'they'?
In most Spanish-speaking countries, it can mean 'they' (ellos/ellas) OR 'you all' (ustedes). In Spain, 'you all' usually uses a different form (atrapasteis).