desangrar
“desangrar” means “to bleed (someone)” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to bleed (someone), to bleed out
Also: to drain
📝 In Action
El cirujano tuvo que desangrar la zona para operar.
B2The surgeon had to drain the blood from the area to operate.
Si no paramos la herida, se va a desangrar.
B1If we don't stop the wound, he is going to bleed out.
La víctima se estaba desangrando rápidamente.
B2The victim was bleeding out rapidly.
to bleed dry, to drain
📝 In Action
La guerra está desangrando la economía del país.
C1The war is bleeding the country's economy dry.
Esas comisiones bancarias nos están desangrando.
B2Those bank fees are bleeding us dry.
La empresa se está desangrando por la falta de ventas.
C1The company is being drained by the lack of sales.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "desangrar" in Spanish:
to drain→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: desangrar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence uses 'desangrar' in a financial sense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Spanish prefix 'de-' (expressing removal or intensity) and the noun 'sangre' (blood), which comes from the Latin 'sanguis'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'desangrar' always mean someone is dying?
Not necessarily. While it literally means to lose a lot of blood (which can be fatal), it is very often used figuratively to mean that something like a bank account or a country's resources are being emptied.
Is it a regular verb?
Yes! It follows the standard rules for all verbs ending in -ar.
Can I use 'desangrar' for a leaky faucet?
No, 'desangrar' is specifically for blood or metaphorically for vital resources like money. For a faucet, use 'gotear'.