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sepultar

seh-pool-TAHR/se.pulˈtaɾ/

“sepultar” means “to bury” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to bury, to inter

Also: to lay to rest
VerbB1regular arformal
A wooden casket being lowered into a hole in the ground in a peaceful cemetery.
gerundsepultando
past Participlesepultado
infinitivesepultar

📝 In Action

Decidieron sepultar a su abuelo en el cementerio del pueblo.

A2

They decided to bury their grandfather in the village cemetery.

El faraón fue sepultado con todos sus tesoros.

B1

The pharaoh was interred with all his treasures.

Es un honor sepultar a los héroes en el panteón nacional.

B2

It is an honor to lay heroes to rest in the national pantheon.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • enterrar (to bury)
  • inhumar (to inter (very formal))

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • sepultar con honores – to bury with honors
  • sepultar restos – to inter remains

to bury, to overwhelm

Also: to hide, to ruin
VerbB2regular ar
A small red toy car being completely covered by a large pile of falling autumn leaves.
gerundsepultando
past Participlesepultado
infinitivesepultar

📝 In Action

La avalancha sepultó el pequeño pueblo bajo la nieve.

B1

The avalanche buried the small village under the snow.

Intentó sepultar sus miedos en el trabajo constante.

B2

He tried to bury his fears in constant work.

Ese escándalo sepultó su carrera política para siempre.

C1

That scandal buried his political career forever.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • sepultar el pasado – to bury the past
  • sepultado bajo los escombros – buried under the rubble

Idioms & Expressions

  • sepultar el hacha de guerra – To stop fighting and make peace.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedessepultaran
yosepultara
túsepultaras
vosotrossepultarais
nosotrossepultáramos
él/ella/ustedsepultara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedessepulten
yosepulte
túsepultes
vosotrossepultéis
nosotrossepultemos
él/ella/ustedsepulte

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedessepultaron
yosepulté
túsepultaste
vosotrossepultasteis
nosotrossepultamos
él/ella/ustedsepultó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedessepultaban
yosepultaba
túsepultabas
vosotrossepultabais
nosotrossepultábamos
él/ella/ustedsepultaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedessepultan
yosepulto
túsepultas
vosotrossepultáis
nosotrossepultamos
él/ella/ustedsepulta
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "sepultar" in Spanish:

to bury→to hide→to inter→to overwhelm→to ruin→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: sepultar

Question 1 of 3

Which word is more casual and common for burying a bone in the garden?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
sepultura(grave/tomb) — Noun
sepulturero(gravedigger) — Noun
sepultado(buried) — Adjective
sepelio(burial/funeral service) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'sepultāre', which is the frequentative form of 'sepelīre' (to bury/inter). It shares the same root as the English word 'sepulcher'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: sepultarItalian: seppellire

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'sepultar' an irregular verb?

No, it is a completely regular -ar verb. It follows the same rules as 'hablar' or 'cantar'.

Can I use 'sepultar' for trash?

Technically yes, but it sounds very dramatic. Usually, we use 'enterrar la basura' or simply 'tirar la basura'.

What is the difference between 'sepultar' and 'inhumar'?

'Inhumar' is a very clinical or legal term used by funeral directors and police. 'Sepultar' is formal but more common in news and literature.