How to Say "to threaten" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to threaten” is “amenazar” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
El hombre amenazó con llamar a la policía.
The man threatened to call the police.
Las nubes negras amenazan tormenta.
The black clouds are threatening a storm.
El cambio climático amenaza la biodiversidad del planeta.
Climate change threatens the planet's biodiversity.
The 'Z' to 'C' Spelling Swap
In Spanish, the letter 'z' never likes to sit next to the letter 'e'. Because of this, when you conjugate the 'yo' form in the past (preterite) or any form in the special 'subjunctive' mood, the 'z' changes to a 'c' (e.g., amenacé). It still sounds exactly the same!
Using 'Con' for Actions
In English, we say 'he threatened to quit.' In Spanish, you often use the word 'con' (with) before the action: 'amenazó con renunciar.'
Don't forget the 'con'
Mistake: “Él amenazó irse.”
Correction: Él amenazó con irse. (You need 'con' to connect the threat to the action).
Spelling error in the past
Mistake: “Yo amenazé.”
Correction: Yo amenacé. (Remember, 'z' changes to 'c' before 'e'!)
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