rondar
“rondar” means “to patrol” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to patrol, to hang around
Also: to prowl
📝 In Action
La policía ronda el barrio todas las noches por seguridad.
B1The police patrol the neighborhood every night for security.
El gato ronda la mesa esperando que caiga algo de comida.
A2The cat is hanging around the table waiting for some food to fall.
Había un hombre extraño rondando la casa de mi vecino.
B1There was a strange man prowling around my neighbor's house.
to be around, to hover around
📝 In Action
Mi abuela debe de rondar los ochenta años.
A2My grandmother must be around eighty years old.
El precio del alquiler ronda los setecientos euros.
B1The rent price is around seven hundred euros.
La temperatura ronda los cero grados hoy.
B1The temperature is hovering around zero degrees today.
to haunt, to linger
Also: to court
📝 In Action
Una idea me ronda la cabeza desde hace días.
B2An idea has been hovering in my mind for days.
El fantasma de la duda le rondaba la mente.
C1The ghost of doubt was haunting his mind.
Esa canción me ronda por la cabeza.
B2That song is stuck in my head (lingering in my mind).
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: rondar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence means 'The car costs roughly 20,000 dollars'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the noun 'ronda' (a round), which likely comes from the French 'ronde' or the Latin 'rotundus', meaning 'round' or 'circular'. The idea is to move in a circular or repeating path.
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
What is the difference between 'rondar' and 'rodear'?
'Rodear' means to physically put something around another thing (like a fence around a garden). 'Rondar' means to move around an area or to be near a specific value/number.
Can 'rondar' be used for dating?
Yes, but it's a bit old-fashioned! It used to mean to 'hang around' someone's house to serenade them or try to win their affection.
Is 'rondar' a regular verb?
Yes! It follows the standard rules for all -ar verbs in all tenses.