How to Say "shakedown" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “shakedown” is “extorsión” — B2 level.
Examples
El empresario denunció una extorsión por parte de la mafia.
The businessman reported extortion by the mafia.
Las autoridades están investigando casos de extorsión telefónica.
Authorities are investigating cases of phone extortion.
Cedió a la extorsión porque temía por la seguridad de su familia.
He gave in to the extortion because he feared for his family's safety.
The '-sión' Gender Rule
Almost every Spanish word ending in '-sión' or '-ción' is feminine. You should always use 'la' or 'una' with this word.
Losing the Accent Mark
When you make this word plural (extorsiones), the accent mark on the 'o' disappears because the natural stress of the word moves.
Using the Wrong Gender
Mistake: “el extorsión”
Correction: la extorsión (it follows the feminine -sión rule).
Confusing with Blackmail
Mistake: “Usar 'extorsión' para secretos personales.”
Correction: Use 'chantaje' for emotional blackmail or secrets; 'extorsión' usually implies physical threats or organized crime.
Related Translations
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