Inklingo

How to Say "to scratch" in Spanish

English → Spanish

rascar

/rahs-KAHR//rasˈkaɾ/

verbA2general
Use 'rascar' when you need to relieve an itch or a tickling sensation on your skin.
A cute brown dog using its back leg to scratch its ear.

Examples

Me pica el brazo y necesito rascarme.

My arm is itchy and I need to scratch myself.

Al gato le gusta que le rasquen detrás de las orejas.

The cat likes having behind his ears scratched.

No te rasques la picadura de mosquito.

Don't scratch your mosquito bite.

The 'C' to 'QU' Swap

When the 'c' in rascar meets an 'e' (like in the past 'I' form or commands), it changes to 'qu' to keep the hard 'k' sound: 'yo rasqué'.

Scratching Yourself

If you are scratching your own body, you must use the reflexive form 'rascarse' (me rasco, te rascas, etc.).

Misspelling the 'k' sound

Mistake: “Yo rascé.”

Correction: Yo rasqué. (We use 'qu' because 'ce' in Spanish sounds like 'se' or 'the'.)

arañar

verbA2general
Use 'arañar' when describing the action of making scratches with nails, claws, or sharp objects, often causing damage or pain.

Examples

El gato me arañó la mano cuando intenté jugar con él.

The cat scratched my hand when I tried to play with him.

Scratching an Itch vs. Causing a Scratch

The most common mistake is using 'arañar' when you mean to relieve an itch. Remember, 'arañar' implies using nails or claws to make a mark, while 'rascar' is specifically for the sensation of itching.

Related Translations

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