Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| enterrar | /enteˈraɾ/ |
| dar sepultura | /daɾ sepultuɾa/ (from spelling rules) |
| sepultar | /sepulˈtaɾ/ |
enterrar means to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb. It can also be used figuratively to mean hiding or suppressing something, such as a scandal or an error.
Which one should you use?
enterrar is the most common and versatile way to say 'to bury', used for both literal corpses and metaphorical things like secrets or mistakes. sepultar is a more formal and solemn term than enterrar, often used in religious or official contexts regarding a funeral. The phrase dar sepultura is a formal way to say 'to give burial' or 'to inter', focusing on the ritual of burial or providing a final resting place.
How does it change in a sentence?
enterrar is a regular -ar verb, meaning its conjugations follow the standard patterns for verbs ending in -ar (for example, entierro, enterró, enterrarán).
How do you pronounce it?
/enteˈraɾ/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the phrase enterrar el hacha is used to mean 'to bury the hatchet' and settle a dispute, mirroring the English idiom.
- In Spanish, you can use enterrar to describe the act of planting a bulb or a seed deep in the ground, moving beyond the context of death or secrets.
- The Spanish word enterrar is a direct relative of the English word 'terrain' and 'terrestrial' because they all share the Latin root terra meaning 'earth'.
Examples in context
- Trataron de enterrarnos. No sabían que éramos semillas.They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds.This sentence uses enterrar to describe an attempt to bury people.Tatoeba #4486454 by ecorralest101, translation #9365840 by DJ_Saidez
- El peor dolor para una madre es tener que enterrar a su propio hijo.The most painful thing for a mother is having to bury her own child.This sentence uses enterrar in the context of a mother burying her child.Tatoeba #945391 by hayastan, translation #1293142 by CK
- Un doctor puede enterrar sus errores, pero un arquitecto solo puede sugerirle a su cliente plantar enredaderas.A doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines.This sentence uses enterrar figuratively regarding burying mistakes.Tatoeba #1476880 by marcelostockle, translation #1476879 by marcelostockle
- enterrar un cadáverBury a corpse
- inhumar a un difuntoBury a deceased person
- enterrar los recuerdosBury the memories
- Juan quiere enterrar su tesoro en el jardín trasero.Juan wants to bury his treasure in the backyard.
- Es importante enterrar los cables de forma segura.It's important to bury the cables safely.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are discussing an old cemetery.
- Daniel¿Dónde planean enterrar al rey?Where do they plan to bury the king?
- ElenaLo van a enterrar en la cripta real.They are going to bury him in the royal crypt.
- DanielEs un lugar muy antiguo.It is a very old place.
- ElenaSí, Daniel, es un sitio histórico.Yes, Daniel, it is a historical site.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bury” translations and entries enterrar, sepultar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dar, enterrar, sepultar, sepultura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
