How to Say "to scatter" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to scatter” is “dispersar” — use this when things or people are moved in different directions, often by an external force like wind or a crowd..
dispersar
/dees-pair-SAHR//dis.peɾ.ˈsaɾ/
Examples
El viento fuerte dispersó las hojas secas por todo el jardín.
The strong wind scattered the dry leaves all over the garden.
Tuvimos que dispersar las semillas de forma uniforme.
We had to scatter the seeds evenly.
Los niños se dispersaron por el parque para jugar al escondite.
The children scattered around the park to play hide and seek.
Using 'a' with people
When you are scattering people (the ones receiving the action), you must put the word 'a' before them, as in 'dispersar a los manifestantes'.
Reflexive form for 'getting distracted'
If you want to say you are losing focus or your thoughts are wandering, use 'dispersarse' (to scatter oneself).
Confusing with 'desperdiciar'
Mistake: “No quiero dispersar mi tiempo.”
Correction: No quiero desperdiciar mi tiempo. (Use 'desperdiciar' for wasting and 'dispersar' for scattering things).
esparcir
/es-par-SEER//esparˈθir/
Examples
El campesino empezó a esparcir las semillas por el campo.
The farmer began to scatter the seeds across the field.
No debes esparcir rumores si no estás seguro de que son ciertos.
You shouldn't spread rumors if you aren't sure they are true.
Esparció un poco de azúcar sobre el pastel.
She scattered a little sugar over the cake.
The 'I' form spelling swap
When you say 'I scatter' (esparzo), the 'c' changes to a 'z'. This helps keep the soft 's' sound before the 'o'.
Spreading vs. Smearing
Use 'esparcir' for items you drop or throw around (like sand or news). Use 'untar' if you are rubbing something on, like butter on toast.
The 'c' or 'z' confusion
Mistake: “Yo esparco.”
Correction: Yo esparzo. (Verbs ending in a consonant + cir always use a 'z' before 'o' or 'a' to stay sounding correct.)
regar
reh-GAHR/reˈɡaɾ/
Examples
Los niños regaron sus juguetes por toda la sala.
The children scattered their toys all over the living room.
Ten cuidado, no vayas a regar el café.
Be careful, don't spill the coffee.
La noticia se regó rápidamente por el pueblo.
The news spread quickly through the town.
Using 'se' for Spreading News
When news or rumors spread by themselves, we add 'se' (se regó la noticia), which works like saying 'the news got spread' in English.
Spilling vs. Watering
Mistake: “Regué el agua en la mesa.”
Correction: Derramé el agua en la mesa. (While 'regar' can mean spill in some countries, 'derramar' is more precise for accidental spills on furniture.)
disipar
/dee-see-par//disiˈpaɾ/
Examples
El viento ayudó a disipar las nubes rápidamente.
The wind helped scatter the clouds quickly.
El sol disipó la niebla matutina en pocos minutos.
The sun cleared away the morning fog in a few minutes.
Necesitamos abrir las ventanas para disipar el humo de la cocina.
We need to open the windows to clear the smoke from the kitchen.
Adding 'se' for things that happen on their own
Use 'disiparse' when you want to say something cleared up by itself, without a specific person or thing doing the action.
Don't use it for cleaning
Mistake: “Voy a disipar la mesa.”
Correction: Voy a limpiar la mesa. 'Disipar' is only for things like air, gas, or clouds that break up and vanish.
sembrar
/sem-BRAHR//semˈbɾaɾ/
Examples
Sus comentarios siembran la duda entre los empleados.
His comments spread doubt among the employees.
El villano quería sembrar el pánico en la ciudad.
The villain wanted to spread panic in the city.
Es importante sembrar valores en los niños desde pequeños.
It is important to instill values in children from a young age.
Abstract Sowing
Just like a seed grows into a plant, Spanish uses 'sembrar' for ideas or feelings that you 'start' so that they grow in a person's mind or in a community.
Mixing with 'difundir'
Mistake: “Sembrar la noticia.”
Correction: For news, use 'difundir' or 'dar'. Use 'sembrar' for emotions or abstract concepts like 'chaos' or 'hope'.
difundir
/dee-foon-DEER//difunˈdiɾ/
Examples
Las nubes difunden la luz del sol.
The clouds diffuse the sunlight.
Esta pantalla ayuda a difundir el calor uniformemente.
This screen helps diffuse the heat evenly.
Technical Usage
This sense is rarely used in casual conversation and belongs more to physics or photography.
Distinguishing between physical scattering
Related Translations
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