Inklingo

How to Say "to patrol" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to patrol” is “patrullar” — use 'patrullar' when referring to official bodies like police, military, or security forces actively monitoring and moving around an area to ensure safety or enforce rules.

English → Spanish

patrullar

pah-troo-YARpatruˈʝar

verbB1general
Use 'patrullar' when referring to official bodies like police, military, or security forces actively monitoring and moving around an area to ensure safety or enforce rules.
A friendly police officer in a blue uniform walking down a peaceful neighborhood sidewalk with a small dog.

Examples

La policía patrulla el centro de la ciudad todas las noches.

The police patrol the city center every night.

Vimos a varios soldados patrullando la frontera.

We saw several soldiers patrolling the border.

Es importante patrullar los pasillos del hospital para mayor seguridad.

It is important to patrol the hospital hallways for added security.

A Regular Friend

This verb is completely regular! It follows the exact same pattern as common verbs like 'hablar' or 'caminar' in every tense.

Direct Action

When you patrol a place, you usually don't need a preposition like 'in' or 'on.' You can simply say 'patrullar la zona' rather than 'patrullar en la zona'.

Spelling Slip-up

Mistake: “patruyar”

Correction: patrullar

rondar

ron-DARronˈdaɾ

verbB1general
Choose 'rondar' when describing security or police moving around or circling an area, often implying a more passive or habitual watch rather than active enforcement.
A security guard in a blue uniform walking with a flashlight along a garden fence at night.

Examples

La policía ronda el barrio todas las noches por seguridad.

The police patrol the neighborhood every night for security.

El gato ronda la mesa esperando que caiga algo de comida.

The cat is hanging around the table waiting for some food to fall.

Había un hombre extraño rondando la casa de mi vecino.

There was a strange man prowling around my neighbor's house.

Direct Action

Unlike English, you don't always need a preposition like 'around' after 'rondar'. You can say 'ronda la casa' directly to mean 'he prowls around the house'.

Continuous Action

Using the '-ando' form (rondando) is very common when describing someone being suspicious or lingering right now.

Confusion with 'Rodear'

Mistake: “Rondaron el edificio con una valla.”

Correction: Rodearon el edificio con una valla.

patrulla

pah-TROO-yahpaˈtɾuʝa

verbB1general
Use 'patrulla' when referring to the act of guarding or keeping watch over a specific perimeter or area, often by a single guard or a designated team.
A lone police officer walking slowly along a quiet residential street at night, clearly observing the surroundings.

Examples

El guardia patrulla el perímetro cada hora.

The guard patrols the perimeter every hour.

Estuvieron patrullando las calles toda la noche.

They were patrolling the streets all night.

Regular -AR Verb

The verb 'patrullar' follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar. Once you know the pattern for one, you know them all!

Patrullar vs. Rondar

Learners often confuse 'patrullar' and 'rondar'. While both mean to patrol, 'patrullar' is more common for active police or military monitoring, whereas 'rondar' can imply a more general, habitual circling or guarding of an area.

Related Translations

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