castigar
“castigar” means “to punish” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to punish
Also: to ground, to penalize
📝 In Action
Mis padres me van a castigar sin salir este fin de semana.
A2My parents are going to ground me this weekend.
El juez decidió castigar al culpable con una multa.
B1The judge decided to punish the guilty party with a fine.
Es importante no castigar a los niños físicamente.
B1It is important not to punish children physically.
to batter or wear down
Also: to tax
📝 In Action
El sol castiga la tierra durante el verano.
B2The sun beats down on (punishes) the land during the summer.
El atleta castigó mucho sus rodillas durante la carrera.
B2The athlete put a lot of strain on (punished) his knees during the race.
La lluvia castigó la costa durante toda la noche.
C1The rain battered the coast all night.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: castigar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I punished' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'castigare', which comes from 'castus' (pure) and 'agere' (to do/make). Originally, it meant 'to make someone pure' through correction.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'castigar' always a physical punishment?
No. In modern Spanish, it usually refers to disciplinary actions like grounding, fines, or extra work, though it can historically refer to physical punishment.
What is the difference between 'castigar' and 'regañar'?
'Regañar' means to scold or tell someone off verbally. 'Castigar' implies an actual consequence or penalty is being enforced.
Is 'castigar' a regular verb?
Mostly, yes. It follows regular -ar patterns except for spelling changes where the 'g' meets an 'e' (like 'castigué' or 'castigue'), where a 'u' must be inserted.