How to Say "to arrest" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to arrest” is “arrestar” — use 'arrestar' when referring specifically to the act of law enforcement taking someone into custody, often implying a formal legal process..
arrestar
ah-rrehs-TAHR/a.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-RAR//kap.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).
Arrestar vs. Capturar
Related Translations
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