complicar
“complicar” means “to complicate” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to complicate
Also: to make difficult, to worsen
📝 In Action
No quiero complicar las cosas más de lo necesario.
B1I don't want to complicate things more than necessary.
La lluvia complicó el tráfico esta mañana.
A2The rain made the traffic difficult this morning.
Si cambias de opinión ahora, vas a complicar todo el plan.
B1If you change your mind now, you're going to complicate the whole plan.
to implicate
Also: to involve
📝 In Action
Las pruebas lo complican en el fraude.
C1The evidence implicates him in the fraud.
No me compliques en tus negocios sucios.
B2Don't involve me in your dirty business.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: complicar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I complicated' (yesterday) in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'complicare,' which means 'to fold together.' Think of it as a situation with so many folds that it's hard to straighten out.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'complicar' and 'dificultar'?
They are very similar! 'Complicar' usually implies making something more complex or tangled, while 'dificultar' just means putting an obstacle in the way.
Is 'complicar' a regular verb?
Yes, it follows regular -ar patterns, but it has a small spelling change (c to qu) in certain forms to keep the pronunciation consistent.
Can I use 'complicar' for health?
Yes! Doctors often use 'se complicó' to say that a patient's condition became more serious or developed new problems.