How to Say "to arrest" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to arrest” is “detener” — use this for the general act of stopping someone and taking them into custody, often implying a temporary holding.
detener
deh-teh-NEHRde.teˈneɾ
Examples
La policía detuvo a dos sospechosos anoche.
The police detained two suspects last night.
El juez ordenó detener al acusado.
The judge ordered the accused to be arrested.
arrestar
ah-rrehs-TAHRa.resˈtaɾ
Examples
La policía logró arrestar al sospechoso después de la persecución.
The police managed to arrest the suspect after the chase.
Arrestaron a varias personas por el disturbio.
They arrested several people for the disturbance.
Si te arrestan, tienes derecho a hacer una llamada.
If they arrest you, you have the right to make one phone call.
Regular -AR Verb
This verb follows the most common pattern for Spanish verbs, making its conjugations predictable and easy to learn. Just drop the '-ar' and add the standard endings.
False Cognate Warning
Mistake: “Using 'arrestar' to mean 'to rest' (descansar).”
Correction: While 'arrestar' sounds like 'rest,' it only means 'to detain/take into custody.' Use 'descansar' for taking a break.
capturar
kap-too-RARkap.tuˈɾaɾ
Examples
La policía logró capturar al ladrón después de una persecución.
The police managed to capture the thief after a chase.
El equipo de científicos fue a la selva para capturar ranas raras.
The team of scientists went to the jungle to catch rare frogs.
Direct Object Placement
Like many Spanish verbs, you can attach the direct object pronoun (lo, la, los, las) directly to the end of 'capturar' when it's in the infinitive: 'Quieren capturarlo' (They want to capture him).
apresar
a-pre-SARa.pɾeˈsaɾ
Examples
La policía logró apresar al fugitivo después de una larga persecución.
The police managed to capture the fugitive after a long chase.
Fueron apresados por cruzar la frontera sin documentos.
They were arrested for crossing the border without documents.
El pirata fue apresado y llevado ante la justicia.
The pirate was captured and brought to justice.
The Personal 'A'
When you are talking about capturing a person, you must use the word 'a' before the name or noun. For example: 'Apresaron a Juan' (They captured Juan).
Regular AR Pattern
This verb follows the standard rules for verbs ending in -ar. If you know how to conjugate 'hablar', you know how to conjugate 'apresar'!
Missing the 'a'
Mistake: “La policía apresó el ladrón.”
Correction: La policía apresó al ladrón (a + el = al). Remember to use 'a' when the action happens to a specific person.
prender
prehn-DEHRpɾenˈdeɾ
Examples
La policía prendió al sospechoso cerca de la escena.
The police arrested the suspect near the scene.
Fue prendido por sus crímenes después de meses de búsqueda.
He was apprehended for his crimes after months of searching.
Ordenaron prender a los rebeldes.
They ordered the rebels to be seized.
Using 'a' with people
When you arrest someone, you must use the 'personal a'. For example: 'Prendieron a Juan' (They arrested Juan).
Confusing with 'aprender'
Mistake: “Quiero prender español.”
Correction: Quiero aprender español.
Choosing Between Arrestar and Detener
Related Translations
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