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distraer

dees-tra-EHRdis.tɾaˈeɾ

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

to distract

Also: to divert
VerbA2irregular er
A child trying to read a book while a colorful butterfly flutters right in front of their face.
gerunddistrayendo
past Participledistraído
infinitivedistraer

📝 In Action

El ruido de la calle me distrae mucho cuando estudio.

A2

The street noise distracts me a lot when I study.

No distraigas al conductor mientras el autobús está en marcha.

B1

Don't distract the driver while the bus is moving.

El mago usó un pañuelo para distraer la atención del público.

B2

The magician used a handkerchief to divert the audience's attention.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • despistar (to mislead/distract)
  • desviar (to divert)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • distraer la atención – to distract attention
  • fácil de distraer – easy to distract

to entertain

Also: to amuse
VerbB1irregular er
A joyful clown juggling three bright red balls for a group of happy children.
gerunddistrayendo
past Participledistraído
infinitivedistraer

📝 In Action

Este libro de aventuras me distrae mucho en los viajes largos.

B1

This adventure book entertains me a lot during long trips.

Pusieron música para distraer a los invitados mientras llegaba la comida.

B1

They played music to entertain the guests while the food arrived.

Dibujar es una actividad que me distrae de los problemas diarios.

B2

Drawing is an activity that takes my mind off daily problems.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • distraer la mente – to clear/entertain the mind

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yodistrajera
túdistrajeras
él/ella/usteddistrajera
nosotrosdistrajéramos
vosotrosdistrajerais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdistrajeran

Present Subjunctive

yodistraiga
túdistraigas
él/ella/usteddistraiga
nosotrosdistraigamos
vosotrosdistraigáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdistraigan

Indicative

Preterite

yodistraje
túdistrajiste
él/ella/usteddistrajo
nosotrosdistrajimos
vosotrosdistrajisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdistrajeron

Imperfect

yodistraía
túdistraías
él/ella/usteddistraía
nosotrosdistraíamos
vosotrosdistraíais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdistraían

Present

yodistraigo
túdistraes
él/ella/usteddistrae
nosotrosdistraemos
vosotrosdistraéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdistraen
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "distraer" in Spanish:

to amuse→to distract→to divert→to entertain→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: distraer

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I distract' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
distracción(distraction / amusement) — Noun
distraído(distracted / absent-minded) — Adjective
distractivo(distracting) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From Latin 'distrahere', which combines 'dis-' (apart) and 'trahere' (to pull). Literally, it means to pull the mind in different directions.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: distractFrench: distraireItalian: distrarre

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'distraer' always used for something negative like losing focus?

No! It's actually very positive when it means 'to entertain' or 'to clear your mind' from stress.

How can I remember the irregular past tense?

Just remember it behaves like 'traer' (to bring). Since 'they brought' is 'trajeron', 'they distracted' is 'distrajeron'.

What's the difference between 'distraer' and 'entretener'?

They are very similar. 'Entretener' is more about keeping someone occupied, while 'distraer' often implies taking the mind away from something else (like work or worries).