How to Say "to steal" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to steal” is “robar” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Alguien robó mi bicicleta del garaje anoche.
Someone stole my bike from the garage last night.
La policía atrapó al hombre que intentaba robar el banco.
The police caught the man who was trying to rob the bank.
No puedes robar ideas de otros escritores.
You can't steal ideas from other writers.
Using 'A' after Robar
When you talk about robbing a person, you usually need to use the preposition 'a' before the person: 'Robaron a la señora' (They robbed the lady).
Robar vs. Quitar
Use 'robar' for actions that are illegal or permanent. Use 'quitar' when you remove or take something away temporarily, like 'quitar la tapa' (to take off the lid).
Confusing the Act and the Person
Mistake: “Robaron la señora.”
Correction: Robaron a la señora. (When the person is the victim, use 'a'.)
Other Meanings of “robar”
“robar” can also mean:
- in sports, e.g., stealing a base(B2, neutral/informal)
Related Translations
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