Inklingo
Dictionary

encarcelar

en-kar-seh-LAHRenkaɾθeˈlaɾ

“encarcelar” means “to imprison” in Spanish (to put someone in jail or prison).

to imprisonAlso: to jail, to incarcerate

VerbB1regular ar
A man in a simple orange jumpsuit standing behind black metal bars of a cell.
gerundencarcelando (imprisoning)
past Participleencarcelado (imprisoned)
infinitiveencarcelar

📝 In Action

La policía va a encarcelar al sospechoso esta tarde.

A2

The police are going to jail the suspect this afternoon.

El juez decidió encarcelar al hombre por sus crímenes.

B1

The judge decided to imprison the man for his crimes.

Fue encarcelado injustamente durante diez años.

B2

He was unjustly imprisoned for ten years.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • apresar (to seize/arrest)
  • recluir (to confine)

Antonyms

  • liberar (to release)
  • excarcelar (to release from prison)

Common Collocations

  • encarcelar a un culpable – to imprison a guilty person
  • orden de encarcelar – order to imprison
  • amenaza de encarcelar – threat of imprisonment

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoencarcelara
túencarcelaras
él/ella/ustedencarcelara
nosotrosencarceláramos
vosotrosencarcelarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesencarcelaran

Present Subjunctive

yoencarciele
túencarcieles
él/ella/ustedencarciele
nosotrosencarcelemos
vosotrosencarceléis
ellos/ellas/ustedesencarcielen

Indicative

Preterite

yoencarcelé
túencarcelaste
él/ella/ustedencarceló
nosotrosencarcelamos
vosotrosencarcelasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesencarcelaron

Imperfect

yoencarcelaba
túencarcelabas
él/ella/ustedencarcelaba
nosotrosencarcelábamos
vosotrosencarcelabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesencarcelaban

Present

yoencarcielo
túencarcielas
él/ella/ustedencarciela
nosotrosencarcelamos
vosotrosencarceláis
ellos/ellas/ustedesencarcielan
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "encarcelar" in Spanish:

to imprisonto incarcerateto jail

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: encarcelar

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the correct way to say 'They imprisoned the criminal'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
cárcel(jail/prison) — Noun
encarcelamiento(imprisonment) — Noun
excarcelar(to release from jail) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes
hablarcantar
📚 Etymology

Formed by combining the prefix 'en-' (into/within) with the noun 'cárcel' (prison), which comes from the Latin word 'carcer'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: incarcerateItalian: carcerare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'encarcelar' different from 'apresar'?

Can I use 'encarcelar' for animals?

Is this word formal?