How to Say "to restrain" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to restrain” is “contener” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
English → SpanishB1
verbB1
holding back an emotion or person
Examples
No pudo contener la risa durante la clase.
He couldn't hold back his laughter during class.
La policía intentó contener a la multitud.
The police tried to restrain the crowd.
Tuve que contenerme para no gritar.
I had to hold myself back from shouting.
Using it on yourself
When you use this to mean 'to control yourself', you add '-se' (contenerse).
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.