How to Say "to detain" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to detain” is “arrestar” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
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.
Related Translations
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