Inklingo

How to Say "cheats" in Spanish

The Spanish word forcheatsis engañaB1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishB1
verbB1
being unfaithful in a relationship
A mischievous fox hiding a brightly colored ball behind its back while offering an empty hand to a friend.

Examples

A veces, la apariencia engaña.

Sometimes, appearances are deceptive (literally: appearance deceives).

Él engaña a su hermano con un truco de cartas.

He tricks his brother with a card trick.

No te preocupes, ella no te engaña.

Don't worry, she isn't cheating on you.

Double Meaning

This word can either describe what someone else is doing right now ('He deceives') or it can be a direct command to a friend ('Deceive!').

The 'A' Rule

When you use this word to say someone is tricking a specific person, you must put the word 'a' before that person's name or title, like: 'Él engaña a María'.

Engañar vs Mentir

Mistake:Using 'engaña' just to mean saying something false.

Correction: Use 'miente' for the act of saying a lie. Use 'engaña' for the broader act of tricking someone or being unfaithful.

Related Translations

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