estafar
“estafar” means “to scam” in Spanish (to trick someone out of money).
to scam, to swindle
Also: to rip off, to cheat
📝 In Action
Intentaron estafarme con un correo falso.
A2They tried to scam me with a fake email.
El hombre estafó a sus clientes y huyó con el dinero.
B1The man swindled his clients and fled with the money.
Es fácil estafar a la gente que busca dinero rápido.
B2It is easy to rip off people who are looking for quick money.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: estafar
Question 1 of 3
Which of these sentences is correct?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Italian word 'staffare,' which literally meant 'to take one's foot out of the stirrup,' causing someone to lose balance and fall.
First recorded: 17th Century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'estafar' regular?
Yes, it follows the completely standard pattern for -ar verbs in all tenses.
What is the difference between 'estafar' and 'timar'?
They are very similar. 'Estafar' is often used for larger amounts of money or legal fraud, while 'timar' is more common for smaller street tricks or petty deception.
How do you say 'I was scammed'?
You say 'Fui estafado' (if you are male) or 'Fui estafada' (if you are female).