sacrificar
/sah-cree-fee-KAHR/
to sacrifice
Giving up something of value to help a greater cause.
sacrificar(verb)
to sacrifice
?to give up something valuable for a higher purpose
to give up
?time, money, or comfort
📝 In Action
Mis padres sacrificaron mucho para que yo pudiera estudiar.
B1My parents sacrificed a lot so that I could study.
No quiero sacrificar mi tiempo libre por este trabajo.
B1I don't want to sacrifice my free time for this job.
A veces hay que sacrificar la comodidad por el éxito.
B2Sometimes you have to sacrifice comfort for success.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'C' to 'QU' Swap
In the past tense (Preterite) 'yo' form and all 'special forms' (subjunctive), the 'c' changes to 'qu' so the word keeps its hard 'K' sound. Instead of 'sacrificé', we write 'sacrifiqué'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Spelling Error
Mistake: "sacrificé"
Correction: sacrifiqué (This ensures the word sounds like 'sah-cree-fee-KAY' instead of 'sah-cree-fee-SAY').
⭐ Usage Tips
Reflexive Use
Use 'sacrificarse' (adding 'se' to the end) when you are talking about a person sacrificing their own well-being for others.
The act of humanely putting an animal to rest.
sacrificar(verb)
to put down
?euthanizing a pet or sick animal
,to slaughter
?killing animals for food or rituals
to sacrifice
?religious or ritualistic killing
📝 In Action
Tuvieron que sacrificar al perro porque estaba muy enfermo.
B2They had to put the dog down because he was very sick.
Las antiguas civilizaciones sacrificaban animales a sus dioses.
B2Ancient civilizations sacrificed animals to their gods.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't use it for murder
Mistake: "El ladrón sacrificó al hombre."
Correction: El ladrón mató al hombre. 'Sacrificar' is for animals, rituals, or noble giving; it sounds very strange or overly dramatic when used for common crimes.
⭐ Usage Tips
Polite Euthanasia
If a pet has to be put down by a vet, 'sacrificar' is the standard, respectful word to use in Spanish.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sacrificar
Question 1 of 2
Which of the following is the correct 'I' form for the past tense?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'sacrificar' always used for animals?
Not at all! Its most common everyday use is about people giving up their time, money, or effort for a goal (e.g., 'sacrificing' a weekend to study).
What is the difference between 'sacrificar' and 'sacrificarse'?
Use 'sacrificar' when you give something up (like your time). Use 'sacrificarse' when you are the one making the effort or doing the hard work yourself (e.g., 'I sacrificed myself for the team').