How to Say "against" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “against” is “contra” — use 'contra' when expressing direct opposition, disagreement, or a negative stance towards something or someone.
contra
KON-traˈkontɾa
Examples
El equipo local jugó contra el campeón.
The local team played against the champion.
Estoy en contra de esa idea.
I am against that idea.
El partido de hoy es Argentina contra Brasil.
Today's match is Argentina versus Brazil.
El coche chocó contra un árbol.
The car crashed into a tree.
Showing Opposition
Contra is your go-to word to show that one thing is opposed to, competing with, or physically up against another. Think of it as creating a 'versus' situation.
Answering 'How?'
As an adverb, contra (usually as en contra) answers the question 'how?' or 'in what way?'. How did they vote? En contra (Against).
Using `contra` instead of `en contra de`
Mistake: “Yo soy contra la decisión.”
Correction: Yo estoy en contra de la decisión. When you're expressing your personal stance or opinion, it's more natural to say 'estoy en contra de'.
contrario
kon-TRAH-ree-ohkonˈtɾa.ɾjo
Examples
Mis gustos son contrarios a los tuyos.
My tastes are contrary to yours.
Mi opinión es contraria a la suya.
My opinion is contrary to yours (or, opposite of yours).
Fuimos en direcciones contrarias y nos perdimos.
We went in opposite directions and got lost.
La ley es contraria a mis principios.
The law is against my principles.
Changing Forms
As an adjective, 'contrario' must match the noun it describes in number and gender: 'una idea contraria' (feminine singular) or 'dos puntos contrarios' (masculine plural).
anti
AHN-teeˈan.ti
Examples
Necesito un medicamento para la tos, no uno antiinflamatorio.
I need medicine for a cough, not an anti-inflammatory one.
Necesito comprar un programa antivirus para mi ordenador.
I need to buy an antivirus program for my computer.
Mi postura es totalmente anti-guerra.
My stance is completely anti-war.
Ella siempre ha sido muy anti, no le gusta nada lo popular.
She has always been very 'anti,' she doesn't like anything popular at all.
The 'Double R' Rule
When you attach 'anti' to a word starting with 'r', you must double the 'r' to keep the strong sound (e.g., anti + robo = antirrobo).
No Spaces Allowed
In Spanish, this word starter is usually glued directly to the next word without a space or a dash (e.g., 'antivirus', not 'anti virus').
Hyphen Overuse
Mistake: “Using a dash like 'anti-social'.”
Correction: Write it as one word: 'antisocial'. You only use a dash if the next word starts with a Capital letter (like 'anti-Trump').
vs
vair-soosˈbeɾsus
Examples
La película trata sobre un juicio, el abogado vs. el fiscal.
The movie is about a trial, the lawyer vs. the prosecutor.
El partido de hoy es Real Madrid vs. Barcelona.
Today's match is Real Madrid vs. Barcelona.
¿Qué prefieres: playa vs. montaña?
What do you prefer: the beach vs. the mountains?
En este artículo analizan las ventajas del coche eléctrico vs. el de gasolina.
In this article, they analyze the advantages of electric cars vs. gasoline ones.
Always the Same
This word never changes. It doesn't matter if the things you are comparing are masculine, feminine, singular, or plural; it's always 'vs'.
Placement
Just like in English, 'vs' always sits right in the middle of the two things or people being compared or competing.
Pronunciation Confusion
Mistake: “Pronouncing it as the letters 'v-s' (uve-ese).”
Correction: While some people say the letters, most Spanish speakers say the full word 'versus'. Try saying 'vair-soos' instead.
Choosing between 'contra' and 'contrario'
Related Translations
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