How to Say "attack" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “attack” is “ataque” — use 'ataque' for general military, physical, or verbal assaults, like an enemy force attacking a city or a verbal insult.
ataque
ah-TAH-kehaˈtake
Examples
El castillo sobrevivió al ataque.
The castle survived the attack.
El equipo lanzó un ataque rápido y marcó un gol.
The team launched a quick attack and scored a goal.
El médico dijo que fue un ataque al corazón.
The doctor said it was a heart attack.
No quiero que el perro me ataque.
I don't want the dog to attack me.
Is it 'el' or 'la'?
'Ataque' is a masculine noun, even though it ends in 'e'. So, you always use 'el' or 'un' with it, like 'el ataque' (the attack) or 'un ataque' (an attack).
What is this verb form?
'Ataque' is the form of 'atacar' used after certain trigger phrases like 'quiero que...' (I want that...), 'espero que...' (I hope that...), or to give a formal command.
Spelling Change Alert: c → qu
Notice how the 'c' in 'atacar' changes to 'qu' in 'ataque'. This happens to keep the hard 'k' sound. If it were 'atace', it would sound like /ah-TAH-seh/.
Confusing the Noun and the Verb
Mistake: “Yo ataque el problema.”
Correction: Yo ataco el problema. 'Ataque' is the thing (the noun), while 'atacar' is the action (the verb). Think of 'attack' the noun vs. 'I attack' the verb in English.
ataque
Examples
No quiero que el perro me ataque.
I don't want the dog to attack me.
agresión
Examples
La policía investiga la agresión que ocurrió anoche.
The police are investigating the assault that occurred last night.
atentado
ah-ten-TAH-dohatenˈtaðo
Examples
La policía detuvo a los responsables del atentado.
The police arrested those responsible for the attack.
Hubo un atentado fallido contra el embajador.
There was a failed attempt on the ambassador's life.
El país conmemora a las víctimas del atentado.
The country commemorates the victims of the attack.
Using 'Against'
When saying who or what was attacked, always use the word 'contra' (against). For example: 'un atentado contra el presidente'.
Always Masculine
Even if the event was a tragedy, the word 'atentado' is always masculine: 'el atentado' or 'un atentado'.
Atentado vs. Intento
Mistake: “Yo hice un atentado de cocinar.”
Correction: Yo hice un intento de cocinar. 'Atentado' is for crimes or serious offenses; 'intento' is for a regular try or attempt at a task.
ofensiva
o-fen-SEE-baho.fenˈsi.βa
Examples
El ejército lanzó una gran ofensiva al amanecer.
The army launched a major offensive at dawn.
El equipo de fútbol tiene una ofensiva muy rápida.
The soccer team has a very fast offensive (attack).
La empresa inició una ofensiva publicitaria para ganar clientes.
The company started a marketing push to win customers.
Using 'ofensiva' as a noun
This word is always feminine when it refers to an attack or a campaign. You will almost always see it with the article 'la' or 'una'.
General vs. Specific Attack
Related Translations
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