Inklingo

How to Say "to hurry" in Spanish

English → Spanish

apurar

ah-poo-RAHRapuˈɾaɾ

verbA2general
Use 'apurar' when you need to tell someone to increase their speed or hasten their actions to arrive somewhere on time or complete something faster.
A child in a bright yellow raincoat running quickly down a sidewalk, with motion lines indicating speed.

Examples

¡Date prisa, que el tren está a punto de salir!

Hurry up, the train is about to leave!

Tienes que apurar el paso si quieres llegar a tiempo.

You have to speed up your pace if you want to arrive on time.

No me apures, que estoy haciendo algo importante.

Don't rush me, I'm doing something important.

El jefe nos apuró para terminar el informe hoy.

The boss pressured us to finish the report today.

Reflexive vs. Non-reflexive

Use 'apurar' when you are rushing someone else, but 'apurarse' (with 'me', 'te', 'se') when you are rushing yourself.

Apurar with Objects

When you 'apurar' a task, you are trying to finish it quickly to meet a deadline.

Forgetting the 'se' for yourself

Mistake:Apuro porque el bus viene.

Correction: Me apuro porque el bus viene. (Use 'me' when you are the one doing the hurrying).

robar

roh-BAHRroˈβaɾ

verbB2figurative
Use 'robar' in a figurative sense to mean 'to steal' a moment, a kiss, or to 'steal the show,' implying taking something quickly or unexpectedly, not literal theft.
A single, strikingly vibrant red rose sits on a pedestal. Beams of light, representing attention, flow from the eyes of a nearby stylized person directly towards the rose.

Examples

Me robé cinco minutos para tomar un café antes de la reunión.

I stole five minutes to grab a coffee before the meeting.

Ella se robó el show con su actuación.

She stole the show with her performance.

El corredor intentó robar la segunda base.

The runner tried to steal second base.

Antes de irse, él me robó un beso rápido.

Before leaving, he quickly stole a kiss from me.

Reflexive Use: Robarse

When used to mean 'steal the show' or 'monopolize attention,' 'robar' is often used with 'se' (robarse), indicating the person actively took the focus for themselves.

Confusing 'apurar' and 'robar'

Learners often confuse 'apurar' and 'robar' because both can imply speed. Remember that 'apurar' is about literal speed and urgency, while 'robar' is figurative, meaning to take something quickly or to 'steal' a moment.

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