Inklingo

How to Say "to seduce" in Spanish

English → Spanish

conquistar

kohn-kees-TAHRkoŋkisˈtaɾ

verbB1general
Use 'conquistar' when the focus is on winning someone over through charm, effort, or by gaining their affection or favor, not necessarily with a sexual connotation.
A person offering a beautiful red rose to another person who is smiling warmly.

Examples

La conquistó con poemas y flores.

He won her over with poems and flowers.

Quiero conquistar su corazón.

I want to win her heart.

Transitive Action

This verb needs an object (the person whose heart you are winning). In Spanish, we use the 'personal a' when the object is a specific person: 'Conquistó a María'.

seducir

seh-doo-SEERseðuˈθiɾ

verbB1general
Use 'seducir' specifically when the intention is to attract someone romantically or sexually, often with an implication of allure or temptation.
A charming person offering a single red rose to another person under a warm streetlamp.

Examples

Ella sabe cómo seducir con su mirada.

She knows how to seduce with her look.

El actor sedujo al público con su carisma.

The actor charmed the audience with his charisma.

Me sedujo la idea de viajar por todo el mundo.

I was tempted by the idea of traveling all over the world.

The 'Z' Sound in the Present

When talking about yourself in the present ('yo'), the 'c' changes to 'zc' to keep the sound right. So 'I seduce' is 'yo seduzco'.

The 'J' in the Past

When talking about things that happened in the past (the preterite), this word uses a 'j' sound. For example, 'he seduced' is 'él sedujo' and 'they seduced' is 'ellos sedujeron'.

Don't say 'seducieron'

Mistake: “Ellos seducieron a los clientes.”

Correction: Ellos sedujeron a los clientes. (Remember that verbs like this use the 'j' in the past and drop the 'i' in the 'ieron' ending).

Confusing with English Spelling

Mistake: “Él quiere seducer.”

Correction: Él quiere seducir. (Even though it ends in -uce in English, it's an -ir verb in Spanish).

Conquistar vs. Seducir

Learners often confuse 'conquistar' and 'seducir'. While 'seducir' is almost always romantic or sexual, 'conquistar' can simply mean to win someone's favor or affection, like winning over a friend or colleague, without any romantic intent.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.