disparó
“disparó” means “he shot” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
he shot, she firedAlso: it went off
📝 In Action
El guardia disparó al aire para asustar a los ladrones.
B1The guard shot into the air to scare the thieves.
Dicen que el arma se disparó accidentalmente.
B2They say the weapon fired accidentally.
Word Connections
he/she/it set off, he/she/it triggered
📝 In Action
El movimiento disparó la alarma de seguridad.
B2The movement set off the security alarm.
Su comentario disparó una discusión acalorada.
C1His comment triggered a heated discussion.
Word Connections
it soared, it shot up
📝 In Action
La escasez disparó el precio del combustible la semana pasada.
C1The shortage caused the price of fuel to skyrocket last week.
El informe disparó las ventas de la compañía en un 30%.
C1The report shot up the company's sales by 30%.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: disparó
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'disparó' in its figurative sense of 'increasing rapidly'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
📚 Etymology
The verb *disparar* likely comes from the Latin prefix *dis-* (meaning separation or difference) and *parare* (to prepare or arrange). Over time, it evolved from meaning 'to separate or detach' to specifically mean 'to send out quickly or violently,' leading to its modern meaning of firing a weapon.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'disparó' used only for guns?
No. While its most literal meaning is 'he/she fired a gun,' it is very commonly used for setting off alarms ('disparó la alarma') or for prices or numbers that rise suddenly ('disparó los precios').
How do I know if 'disparó' means 'he shot' or 'it shot'?
You need to look at the subject. If the subject is a person (El hombre), it means 'he shot.' If the subject is an object that can act independently (El arma, El precio), it means 'it fired' or 'it soared.'