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How to Say "to raid" in Spanish

English → Spanish

asaltar

/ah-sahl-TAHR//asalˈtaɾ/

verbB2general
Use 'asaltar' to describe a forceful, often military, taking of a place or object, like a fortress or a secured area.
A group of knights running toward a stone castle with a raised flag.

Examples

Las tropas asaltaron la fortaleza al amanecer.

The troops stormed the fortress at dawn.

Tengo tanta hambre que voy a asaltar la nevera.

I'm so hungry that I'm going to raid the fridge.

Varios fans asaltaron el escenario durante el concierto.

Several fans stormed the stage during the concert.

Direct objects

When asaltar means 'to storm' a place, the place is the direct object. You don't need 'a' for a place, only for people.

Confusing with 'atacar'

Mistake: “El perro me asaltó.”

Correction: El perro me atacó.

saquear

/sah-keh-AHR//sakeˈaɾ/

verbC1informal
Use 'saquear' informally to describe emptying or taking contents from a place, often with a sense of hunger or eagerness, like raiding a fridge.
A hungry person looking into a wide open refrigerator filled with various foods at night.

Examples

Los niños llegaron con hambre y saquearon la nevera.

The kids arrived hungry and raided the fridge.

Alguien saqueó mi cajón y ahora no encuentro mis llaves.

Someone ransacked my drawer and now I can't find my keys.

Figurative Use

This word is great for being dramatic. Instead of saying you 'cleaned out' the pantry, use 'saquear' to imply you took everything like a viking.

Asaltar vs. Saquear

Learners often confuse 'asaltar' and 'saquear' because both can imply taking things. Remember that 'asaltar' is more formal and suggests a forceful attack, while 'saquear' is informal and often used for emptying out food supplies.

Related Translations

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