frotar

fro-TAR/fɾoˈtaɾ/

“frotar” means “to rub” in Spanish (applying friction to a surface).

to rub

Also: to scrub, to stroke

VerbA2regular ar

Mexico & Caribbean

A close-up illustration of a hand using a soft yellow cloth to rub a wooden table surface until it shines.

gerundfrotando

past Participlefrotado

infinitivefrotar

📝 In Action

Tienes que frotar la mancha con un poco de jabón.

You have to rub the stain with a little bit of soap.

Él se frotó los ojos porque tenía sueño.

He rubbed his eyes because he was sleepy.

Frota las manos para calentarte un poco.

Rub your hands together to warm yourself up a bit.

Word Connections

Synonyms

refregar (to scrub vigorously)
masajear (to massage)
sobar (to handle/rub)

Antonyms

acariciar (to caress (gentle touch vs pressure))

Common Collocations

frotar con fuerza – to rub hard
frotar suavemente – to rub gently
frotar los platos – to scrub the dishes

Idioms & Expressions

frotarse las manos – to be delighted or excited about something good coming your way

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesfrotaran

yofrotara

túfrotaras

vosotrosfrotarais

nosotrosfrotáramos

él/ella/ustedfrotara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesfroten

yofrote

túfrotes

vosotrosfrotéis

nosotrosfrotemos

él/ella/ustedfrote

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesfrotaron

yofroté

túfrotaste

vosotrosfrotasteis

nosotrosfrotamos

él/ella/ustedfrotó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesfrotaban

yofrotaba

túfrotabas

vosotrosfrotabais

nosotrosfrotábamos

él/ella/ustedfrotaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesfrotan

yofroto

túfrotas

vosotrosfrotáis

nosotrosfrotamos

él/ella/ustedfrota

View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "frotar" in Spanish:

to rub→to scrub→to stroke→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: frotar

Question 1 of 3

How would you say 'I rub my eyes' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

frotamiento(rubbing/friction) — Noun

frote(a rub) — Noun

frotador(scrubber/polisher) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

cantar brillar

📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'frictare', which is a repetitive form of 'fricare' (to rub).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: frotterEnglish: friction

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'frotar' a regular verb?

Yes! It follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -ar in all tenses.

When should I use 'rascar' instead of 'frotar'?

Use 'rascar' when you have an itch. Use 'frotar' when you are applying pressure, cleaning, or warming something up.

Can 'frotar' mean 'to massage'?

It can imply a simple massage or rubbing a sore muscle, but the specific word for a professional massage is 'masajear'.