secuestrar
“secuestrar” means “to kidnap” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to kidnap, to abduct
Also: to hijack
📝 In Action
Intentaron secuestrar al hijo del empresario.
B1They tried to kidnap the businessman's son.
Un grupo armado secuestró el avión comercial.
B2An armed group hijacked the commercial plane.
Es horrible pensar que alguien pueda secuestrar a un niño.
A2It is horrible to think that someone could kidnap a child.
to seize, to impound
Also: to ban/suppress
📝 In Action
El juez ordenó secuestrar todos los documentos de la empresa.
C1The judge ordered the seizure of all the company's documents.
La policía secuestró la edición de la revista por orden judicial.
C2The police seized the magazine edition by court order.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: secuestrar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses the personal 'a' with secuestrar?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'sequestrare', which meant to surrender something to a third party for safekeeping during a dispute.
First recorded: 15th Century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'secuestrar' and 'raptar'?
'Secuestrar' is the most common word for kidnapping. 'Raptar' is often used specifically for abducting women or children, or in historical/mythological contexts (like the 'Rape/Abduction of the Sabine Women').
Can I use 'secuestrar' for a car?
Yes, if someone takes control of a vehicle by force, you can use 'secuestrar', though 'robar' (to steal) is more common if they just take the car without people in it.
Is 'secuestrar' a regular verb?
Yes! It follows the standard rules for all verbs ending in -ar.