escapa
/es-KAH-pah/
escapes
When someone or something escapa, it escapes or gets away.
escapa(Verb (Conjugation))
escapes
?he/she/it gets away (present tense)
,escape!
?informal command (you)
runs away
?fleeing
,gets out
?leaving confinement
📝 In Action
El perro siempre escapa del jardín.
A2The dog always escapes from the garden.
¡Escapa! Hay una emergencia.
A2Escape! There is an emergency.
Usted escapa de sus responsabilidades constantemente.
B1You (formal) constantly escape your responsibilities.
💡 Grammar Points
Dual Role of 'Escapa'
This exact form ('escapa') has two main uses: 1) What 'he/she/it' does right now (Present Tense), and 2) A direct, informal command to 'you' (tú) to do the action.
Preposition 'De'
When you talk about escaping from something, Spanish almost always uses the preposition 'de' (from), as in 'escapa de la situación' (he escapes from the situation).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing the Command
Mistake: "Using 'escapas' for the informal command (e.g., ¡Tú escapas!)."
Correction: The correct informal command is the shorter form, '¡Escapa!' (the same as the 'he/she' form in the present tense).
⭐ Usage Tips
Emotional Weight
Use 'escapar' when there is a sense of urgency, desire for freedom, or necessity to leave a bad situation.
A secret or word that escapa is one that slips out accidentally.
escapa(Verb (Conjugation))
slips out
?a word or secret is revealed accidentally
,slips one's mind
?a detail or memory is forgotten
is missed
?an opportunity goes by
📝 In Action
Siempre se me escapa esa fórmula durante el examen.
B1That formula always slips my mind during the exam.
Cuando habla, a veces se le escapa algún secreto.
B2When he talks, sometimes a secret slips out.
💡 Grammar Points
The Accidental 'Se'
In this meaning, 'escapa' is almost always used with 'se' (se me escapa, se te escapa) to show that the forgetting or slipping away happened accidentally, not on purpose. Think of it as 'The detail got away from me.'
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on the Detail
The thing that slips away (the name, the secret, the opportunity) is the subject of the verb, which is why we use 'escapa' (singular 'it') even if you are the person who forgot.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: escapa
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'escapa' as an informal command?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'escapa' and 'escaparse'?
'Escapa' is the simple verb form (he/she escapes). 'Escaparse' is the reflexive form, often used to mean 'to run away' or, more commonly, to express that something was forgotten unintentionally ('se me escapa' means 'it slips my mind').