How to Say "to freeze" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to freeze” is “congelar” — use this when referring to water turning into ice, food preservation, or stopping financial activity like bank accounts..
congelar
/kohn-heh-LAHR//koŋxeˈlaɾ/
Examples
El agua se congela a cero grados.
Water freezes at zero degrees.
Debes congelar la carne para que no se arruine.
You should freeze the meat so it doesn't spoil.
Ayer se congelaron las tuberías por el frío intenso.
The pipes froze yesterday because of the intense cold.
El banco decidió congelar sus cuentas bancarias.
The bank decided to freeze his bank accounts.
Using 'Se' with Congelar
When things freeze on their own (like a lake), we use 'se' (se congela). When you do it to something (like meat), you just use 'congelar'.
Abstract Freezing
Just like in English, 'congelar' works perfectly for abstract things like money or time where movement stops.
Feeling Cold vs. Freezing
Mistake: “Estoy congelando.”
Correction: Me estoy congelando (if you are freezing) or 'Tengo mucho frío'. Using it without the 'me' sounds like you are literally turning someone else into ice.
bloquear
/blo-keh-ahr//blo.keˈaɾ/
Examples
Tuve que bloquear mi tarjeta porque la perdí.
I had to block my card because I lost it.
El banco bloqueó mi cuenta por seguridad.
The bank froze my account for security.
Si pones mal el PIN tres veces, el móvil se bloquea.
If you enter the wrong PIN three times, the phone locks itself.
The 'Self' Form
When a phone locks itself, we add 'se': 'El móvil se bloqueó' (The phone locked/blocked itself).
Using 'freezar'
Mistake: “Voy a freezar mi cuenta.”
Correction: Voy a bloquear mi cuenta. 'Freezar' is Spanglish and not common in most countries.
paralizar
/pah-rah-lee-thahr//paɾaliˈθaɾ/
Examples
El accidente paralizó sus piernas temporalmente.
The accident paralyzed his legs temporarily.
Me quedé paralizado cuando vi el oso en el bosque.
I froze when I saw the bear in the forest.
El veneno de esta serpiente puede paralizar a su presa en segundos.
This snake's venom can paralyze its prey in seconds.
The 'Z' to 'C' Swap
When the letter 'z' in 'paralizar' is followed by an 'e' (like in the past tense 'paralicé'), it changes to a 'c' to keep the sound the same.
Using it reflexively
Use 'paralizarse' when someone or something becomes paralyzed on its own or by an outside force.
Spelling Error in Past Tense
Mistake: “yo paralizé”
Correction: yo paralicé (In Spanish, we avoid using 'ze' and use 'ce' instead for this sound).
inmovilizar
/een-mo-bee-lee-THAR//inmoβiliˈθaɾ/
Examples
El juez ordenó inmovilizar los fondos de la empresa.
The judge ordered the freezing of the company's funds.
No es buena idea inmovilizar todo tu dinero en una sola inversión.
It is not a good idea to tie up all your money in a single investment.
El gobierno decidió inmovilizar las cuentas bancarias de los sospechosos.
The government decided to freeze the bank accounts of the suspects.
Business Terminology
In financial contexts, this verb describes making money 'not liquid,' meaning it cannot be easily spent or moved.
Congelar vs. Bloquear Accounts
Related Translations
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