ladrar
“ladrar” means “to bark” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to bark
Also: to howl
📝 In Action
Mi perro ladra mucho cuando ve al cartero.
A1My dog barks a lot when he sees the mailman.
Los perros de la calle estuvieron ladrando toda la noche.
A2The street dogs were barking all night long.
Si el perro vuelve a ladrar, tendremos que sacarlo al jardín.
B1If the dog barks again, we will have to take him out to the garden.
to bark/snap
📝 In Action
No me ladres, solo te hice una pregunta.
B2Don't snap at me, I only asked you a question.
El sargento ladraba órdenes a los nuevos soldados.
C1The sergeant was barking orders at the new soldiers.
Estaba tan estresado que le ladró a todo el mundo en la oficina.
C1He was so stressed that he barked at everyone in the office.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ladrar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'The dog barks at the cat'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'latrare', which describes the same animal sound. It has stayed almost unchanged for centuries.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'ladrar' a regular verb?
Yes! It follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar, making it very easy to conjugate.
Can I use 'ladrar' for other animals?
Generally no. 'Ladrar' is specifically for dogs. Cats 'maúllan' (meow) and cows 'mujen' (moo).
How do I say 'Stop barking!' to a dog?
You can say '¡Deja de ladrar!' or simply '¡Cállate!' (Quiet/Shut up).