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How to Say "striking" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “striking” is “golpeando” — use this gerund form when 'striking' refers to the physical act of hitting or striking something forcefully, often in an ongoing action.

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golpeando

gohl-peh-AHN-dohgolpeˈando

Verb (Gerund)A1forceful action
Use this gerund form when 'striking' refers to the physical act of hitting or striking something forcefully, often in an ongoing action.
A simple cartoon fist forcefully striking a large red punching bag, showing physical contact.

Examples

El niño estaba golpeando su tambor con mucha energía.

The child was hitting his drum with a lot of energy.

El viento fuerte estaba golpeando las ventanas toda la noche.

The strong wind was hitting (banging against) the windows all night.

Forming the Continuous Tense

As the '-ando' form, 'golpeando' is used with a form of the verb 'estar' (to be) to show that the action is happening right now or ongoing. Example: Estoy golpeando (I am hitting).

Describing Simultaneous Actions

You can use 'golpeando' by itself to describe an action that happens at the same time as the main verb. Example: Llegó golpeando la puerta (He arrived, slamming the door).

Using 'Ser' Instead of 'Estar'

Mistake: “Soy golpeando.”

Correction: Estoy golpeando. Remember, the continuous action (the '-ing' form) always uses 'estar' because it describes a temporary state.

impactante

eem-pak-TAN-tehimpakˈtante

adjectiveB1visually or emotionally strong
Choose this adjective when 'striking' describes something that has a strong visual or emotional effect, causing surprise or shock.
A vibrant, bright yellow lightning bolt striking a single, dark purple mountain peak against a deep blue sky.

Examples

La noticia de hoy es muy impactante.

Today's news is very shocking.

Vimos un paisaje impactante desde la montaña.

We saw a striking landscape from the mountain.

Su discurso fue impactante y cambió la opinión de todos.

His speech was powerful and changed everyone's opinion.

One form for everyone

This word doesn't change based on gender. You can use it for both 'el hombre impactante' (the striking man) and 'la mujer impactante' (the striking woman).

Placement for emphasis

Usually, you put it after the noun to describe a quality (una noticia impactante), but putting it before the noun makes it sound more poetic or dramatic (una impactante noticia).

Don't add an 'a' for feminine

Mistake: “La película fue impactanta.”

Correction: La película fue impactante. Words ending in -e usually don't change for gender.

llamativo

ya-ma-TEE-boʎamaˈtiβo

adjectiveB2surprising or remarkable
Use this adjective when 'striking' means remarkable, noticeable, or surprising in a way that draws attention.
A single giant sunflower towering high above a field of tiny white daisies.

Examples

Es llamativo que todavía no hayan contestado.

It is striking that they haven't answered yet.

Hubo un descenso llamativo en las ventas este mes.

There was a remarkable drop in sales this month.

Using it with 'Es'

When you say 'It is striking that...', use the phrase 'Es llamativo que...'. Because this expresses an opinion or observation about a fact, the verb that follows usually stays in the normal 'indicative' form unless you are expressing doubt.

sensacional

sen-sah-syoh-NAHLsensasjoˈnal

adjectiveB2grabbing attention
Employ this adjective when 'striking' means sensational, attention-grabbing, or extraordinary, often used for headlines or news.
A person looking wide-eyed and surprised while holding a brightly glowing box.

Examples

El periódico publicó un titular sensacional sobre el descubrimiento.

The newspaper published a startling headline about the discovery.

Adjective vs. Verb Gerund

The most common mistake is using the verb gerund 'golpeando' when you mean an adjective like 'impactante' or 'llamativo'. Remember, 'golpeando' is about the *action* of hitting, while the others describe a *quality* of being striking.

Related Translations

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