How to Say "to interrogate" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to interrogate” is “interrogar” — use 'interrogar' when referring to formal questioning, especially by authorities like the police or in a legal context..
interrogar
/een-teh-rro-GAHR//interoˈɣaɾ/
Examples
La policía decidió interrogar al sospechoso durante tres horas.
The police decided to interrogate the suspect for three hours.
El abogado va a interrogar a los testigos mañana.
The lawyer is going to question the witnesses tomorrow.
The 'GU' Spelling Change
When 'interrogar' is followed by an 'e' sound (like in the first-person past tense 'yo interrogue'), we add a 'u' after the 'g' to keep the hard 'g' sound, like in 'game'.
Interrogar vs. Preguntar
Mistake: “Using 'interrogar' for simple questions like 'What time is it?'”
Correction: Use 'preguntar' for everyday questions and 'interrogar' only for formal or serious questioning.
cuestionar
/kwes-tyoh-nahr//kwestjoˈnaɾ/
Examples
El abogado cuestionó al testigo durante toda la tarde.
The lawyer questioned the witness all afternoon.
La policía está cuestionando a los vecinos para encontrar pistas.
The police are questioning the neighbors to find clues.
Direct Objects
When questioning a person in this sense, remember to use 'a' before the person: 'Cuestionaron a los testigos' (They questioned the witnesses).
Interrogar vs. Cuestionar
Related Translations
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