📝 In Action
La policía negoció la liberación de los rehenes a cambio de un coche.
B1The police negotiated the release of the hostages in exchange for a car.
El secuestrador amenazó con herir al rehén si no cumplían sus demandas.
B2The kidnapper threatened to harm the hostage if they didn't meet his demands.
Ella fue tomada como rehén durante el asalto al banco.
B2She was taken as a hostage during the bank robbery.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Singular Form
Even though 'rehén' ends in 'n,' it is a single syllable word when counting from the end, which means its plural is formed by adding '-es': 'rehenes'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Confusion
Mistake: "Using *la rehén* for a female hostage and *el rehén* for a male hostage."
Correction: While *la rehén* is sometimes used, the Royal Spanish Academy recommends using the masculine article *el* for both genders, as the word itself is grammatically masculine: 'el rehén' (male) or 'el rehén' (female). However, 'la rehén' is also widely accepted.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'Tomar'
The most common way to say 'to take a hostage' is 'tomar como rehén' or simply 'tomar un rehén'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: rehén
Question 1 of 2
Which Spanish phrase correctly means 'They took ten hostages'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'rehén' used in figurative language, or just for literal kidnapping?
'Rehén' is primarily used in literal, serious contexts involving kidnapping or armed conflict. You might occasionally hear it used figuratively (e.g., 'ser rehén de las circunstancias' - 'to be a hostage to circumstances'), but its main use is literal.
How do I say 'hostage situation'?
The most common and natural way to say 'hostage situation' in Spanish is 'toma de rehenes' (literally 'taking of hostages') or 'situación de rehenes'.