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encarcelar

en-kar-seh-LAHR/enkaɾθeˈlaɾ/

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

to imprison

Also: 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

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

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

present

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

indicative

preterite

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

imperfect

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

present

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

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "encarcelar" in Spanish:

to imprison→to incarcerate→to 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▼
📚 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?