retar
“retar” means “to challenge” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to challenge
Also: to dare
📝 In Action
Te reto a una carrera hasta la esquina.
A2I challenge you to a race to the corner.
El campeón retó al joven boxeador.
B1The champion challenged the young boxer.
Me retaron a saltar desde el trampolín más alto.
B1They dared me to jump from the highest diving board.
to scold
Also: to tell off
📝 In Action
Mi mamá me retó porque no hice la tarea.
B1My mom scolded me because I didn't do my homework.
No me retes más, ya sé que estuvo mal.
B1Don't scold me anymore; I already know it was wrong.
El profesor retó a todo el curso por el ruido.
B2The teacher told the whole class off for the noise.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: retar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence means 'I challenge you to play'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 're-itare', which means to go back or frequent. It eventually evolved to mean 'calling someone back' or 'calling someone out' to defend themselves, leading to the modern meanings of challenge and scold.
First recorded: 13th 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 'retar' regular or irregular?
It is completely regular! It follows the standard pattern for all -ar verbs in every tense.
Can I use 'retar' to mean 'to scold' in Spain?
People will understand you, but it sounds very Latin American. In Spain, 'regañar' is much more common for that meaning.
What's the difference between 'retar' and 'desafiar'?
They are very similar. 'Desafiar' is often more formal or serious (like defying a law), while 'retar' is more common for games, dares, and everyday scolding.