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persecución

pehr-seh-koo-syohn/peɾseˈkusjon/

“persecución” means “chase” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

chase

Also: pursuit
NounfB1
A colorful illustration showing a police officer vigorously chasing a civilian down a street, emphasizing the high-speed pursuit.

📝 In Action

La persecución policial terminó en un callejón sin salida.

B1

The police chase ended in a dead-end alley.

Hubo una intensa persecución a pie después del robo.

B2

There was an intense foot chase after the robbery.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • persecución policial – police chase
  • persecución a alta velocidad – high-speed chase

persecution

Also: harassment
NounfC1formal
A storybook illustration depicting a small, sad figure being intimidated by several large, looming, identical shadow figures in a clear, bright space, illustrating oppression.

📝 In Action

La persecución por sus creencias religiosas obligó a muchos a buscar refugio.

C1

The persecution for their religious beliefs forced many to seek refuge.

La historia está llena de ejemplos de persecución política.

C2

History is full of examples of political persecution.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • opresión (oppression)
  • hostigamiento (harassment)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • persecución religiosa – religious persecution
  • víctimas de persecución – victims of persecution

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "persecución" in Spanish:

chase→persecution→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: persecución

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'persecución' to mean 'systemic oppression'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
perseguir(to pursue, to persecute) — Verb
perseguidor(persecutor, chaser) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
acciónemoción
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word *persecutionem*, which meant 'the action of following, pursuing, or harassing.' The meaning has remained very close to its original Latin root.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: persecutionFrench: persécution

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Por qué 'persecución' es femenino?

Most Spanish nouns that end in '-ción' (which are often created from verbs, like 'perseguir' -> 'persecución') are feminine. This is a very reliable pattern to remember for similar words (like 'acción,' 'canción,' 'nación').