conspirar
“conspirar” means “to conspire” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to conspire
Also: to plot
📝 In Action
Los rebeldes empezaron a conspirar contra el rey.
B2The rebels began to conspire against the king.
Están conspirando para robar el banco en secreto.
B2They are plotting to rob the bank in secret.
Es ilegal conspirar para cometer un crimen.
C1It is illegal to conspire to commit a crime.
to conspire
Also: to align
📝 In Action
El destino parece conspirar a nuestro favor hoy.
B2Fate seems to be conspiring in our favor today.
El clima y el tráfico conspiraron para que llegara tarde.
C1The weather and traffic conspired to make me late.
Todo parece conspirar en mi contra esta mañana.
C1Everything seems to be conspiring against me this morning.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: conspirar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence uses 'conspirar' to mean that factors are working together to cause a result?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'conspirare', which literally means 'to breathe together'. It comes from 'con-' (together) and 'spirare' (to breathe), suggesting the image of people whispering or breathing close together to share secrets.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'conspirar' always a bad thing?
Usually, yes. It almost always implies a secret or illegal plot. However, in the figurative sense (like 'fate conspiring'), it can sometimes be positive, like 'conspirar a nuestro favor' (conspiring in our favor).
What is the difference between 'conspirar' and 'tramar'?
'Conspirar' usually involves a group of people working together in secret. 'Tramar' can be done by a single person and sounds a bit like 'weaving' a plan.
Is 'conspirar' a regular verb?
Yes! It follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in '-ar' (like hablar or caminar) in all tenses.