atrápalo
/atɾapalo/from spelling rules
The English phrase catch him is translated into Spanish as atrápalo.
The infinitive form to catch him is atraparlo.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the imperative verb atrapa (catch) and the object pronoun lo (him).
Which one should you use?
The phrase atrápalo can mean both 'catch him' and 'catch it' because the pronoun lo is used for masculine objects. If you want to say 'catch her' instead of 'catch him', you change the masculine object pronoun lo to the feminine la to form atrápala.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The verb aprehenderlo is a formal way to say to apprehend him.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, agarrarlo can be used colloquially to mean to catch him.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the imperative form, the object pronoun lo is attached directly to the end of the verb, forming a single word.
How do you pronounce it?
/atɾapalo/
Did you know?
- In a game of tag, the person who is 'it' and trying to 'catch him' is often called the mancha in some Latin American countries, which literally means 'the stain'.
- If you are in Argentina or Uruguay, you would likely say 'atrapalo' with an accent on the second 'a', as the 'voseo' conjugation changes the stress of the verb.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if someone is falling or about to drop something, you might hear ¡lo tengo! instead of atrápalo. This literally means 'I have it', but it functions as a way to say 'I've got him' or 'I've caught it'.
Examples in context
- Atrápalo.Catch him.Tatoeba #1349320 by marcelostockle, translation #449029 by CK
- La policía quiere atraparlo.The police want to catch him.
- Debemos atraparlo antes de que escape.We must catch him before he escapes.
- ¡Atrápalo!Catch him!
- Intenté atraparlo, pero se escapó.I tried to catch him, but he got away.
- No pude cogerlo, se escabulló entre la multitud.I couldn't catch him, he slipped away into the crowd.
- ¡Atrápalo antes de que escape!Catch him before he escapes!
- Si ves al ladrón, atrápalo.If you see the thief, catch him.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are watching a runaway puppy in the park.
- Mateo¡Mira, el perro se escapó!Look, the dog escaped!
- María¡Atrápalo, Mateo, que corre muy rápido!Catch him, Mateo, he is running very fast!
- Mateo¡Lo tengo!I got him!
- MaríaQué bueno, ya estaba asustada.That's good, I was already scared.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
