How to Say "to loiter" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to loiter” is “merodear” — B2 level.
Examples
Había un hombre extraño merodeando por el vecindario anoche.
There was a strange man prowling around the neighborhood last night.
Vimos a un gato montés merodear cerca del campamento.
We saw a bobcat prowling near the campsite.
No me gusta que esos chicos se queden merodeando frente a mi tienda.
I don't like those kids loitering in front of my store.
Using 'por' with Merodear
To say you are prowling 'around' a place, use the word 'por'. For example: 'merodear por el jardín' means to wander through/around the garden.
It's a regular verb
Even though it looks fancy, it follows the exact same patterns as 'hablar' or 'cantar' in every form.
Confusing 'merodear' with 'robar'
Mistake: “Using 'merodear' to mean the act of stealing itself.”
Correction: Use 'merodear' for the suspicious movement *before* or *around* a place, and 'robar' for the actual theft.
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.