How to Say "to aggravate" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to aggravate” is “empeorar” — use this word when you want to say that a situation, problem, or injury is becoming more severe or worse..
empeorar
em-peh-oh-rar/empeoˈɾaɾ/
Examples
Tus mentiras solo van a empeorar las cosas.
Your lies are only going to make things worse.
El ruido excesivo puede empeorar el dolor de cabeza.
Excessive noise can aggravate the headache.
No quería empeorar el conflicto, así que me callé.
I didn't want to make the conflict worse, so I kept quiet.
Direct Impact
In this sense, 'empeorar' is followed directly by the thing that is being harmed (e.g., 'empeorar el tráfico').
Confusing with 'Peor'
Mistake: “Él empeoró la situación más peor.”
Correction: Él empeoró la situación.
agravar
/ah-grah-BAHR//a.ɣɾa.ˈβaɾ/
Examples
Sus palabras solo sirvieron para agravar el conflicto.
His words only served to worsen the conflict.
La falta de lluvia puede agravar la crisis económica en la región.
The lack of rain can aggravate the economic crisis in the region.
No menciones ese tema ahora, podrías agravar la situación.
Don't mention that topic now; you could make the situation worse.
Making Things Heavier
Think of 'agravar' as adding weight to a problem. It comes from the same root as 'gravity' and 'grave'.
A Regular Performer
This verb is completely regular. It follows the exact same rules as 'hablar' in every tense.
Agravar vs. Agarrar
Mistake: “Using 'agarrar' when you mean things are getting worse.”
Correction: Say 'Esto va a agravar el problema' instead of 'agarrar'. Agarrar means to grab or catch.
Don't Annoy the Word
Mistake: “Using 'agravar' to mean you are annoying a person.”
Correction: Use 'molestar' or 'fastidiar' for people. Use 'agravar' for situations or health conditions.
Choosing between empeorar and agravar
Related Translations
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