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contagiar

kon-ta-HYAHR/kontaˈxjaɾ/

“contagiar” means “to infect” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to infect

Also: to pass on
VerbA2regular ar
A child sneezing into a tissue while another child stands nearby, representing the spread of a cold.
gerundcontagiando
past Participlecontagiado
infinitivecontagiar

📝 In Action

No quiero contagiarte mi resfriado.

A2

I don't want to infect you with my cold.

Lávate las manos para no contagiar a los demás.

A2

Wash your hands so you don't pass it on to others.

Él contagió la gripe a toda su familia.

B1

He passed the flu on to his whole family.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • desinfectar (to disinfect)
  • sanar (to heal)

Common Collocations

  • contagiar una enfermedad – to spread a disease
  • riesgo de contagiar – risk of infecting

to be catching, to spread

Also: to rub off on
VerbB2regular ar
A group of people laughing together, showing how a laugh can be catching.
gerundcontagiando
past Participlecontagiado
infinitivecontagiar

📝 In Action

Tu alegría nos contagia a todos.

B2

Your joy is catching for all of us.

El bostezo se contagia fácilmente.

B2

Yawning is easily caught (is contagious).

Espero que se me contagie tu buena suerte.

C1

I hope your good luck rubs off on me.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pegar (to stick/pass on (informal))

Common Collocations

  • contagiar entusiasmo – to spread enthusiasm
  • contagiar la risa – to make laughter spread

Idioms & Expressions

  • contagiar las ganas – to make someone else feel like doing something

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedescontagiaran
yocontagiara
túcontagiaras
vosotroscontagiarais
nosotroscontagiáramos
él/ella/ustedcontagiara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedescontagien
yocontagie
túcontagies
vosotroscontagiéis
nosotroscontagiemos
él/ella/ustedcontagie

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedescontagiaron
yocontagié
túcontagiaste
vosotroscontagiasteis
nosotroscontagiamos
él/ella/ustedcontagió

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedescontagiaban
yocontagiaba
túcontagiabas
vosotroscontagiabais
nosotroscontagiábamos
él/ella/ustedcontagiaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedescontagian
yocontagio
túcontagias
vosotroscontagiáis
nosotroscontagiamos
él/ella/ustedcontagia
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "contagiar" in Spanish:

to infect→to spread→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: contagiar

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence describes a mood spreading?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
contagio(infection / contagion) — Noun
contagioso(contagious) — Adjective
contagiado(infected person) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'contagiare', which comes from 'con-' (together) and 'tangere' (to touch). It literally means to pass something by touching.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: contagionFrench: contagionner

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'contagiar' always about sickness?

No! It is very frequently used for emotions like laughter, yawning, or enthusiasm.

What is the difference between 'infectar' and 'contagiar'?

'Infectar' is more technical and usually refers to a wound getting germs. 'Contagiar' is about passing a disease from one person to another.

Does it have any irregular forms?

No, it is a perfectly regular -ar verb in all its forms!