atragantarse
/atɾaɡantaɾse/from spelling rules
To choke (be unable to breathe because of obstruction of the windpipe) in Spanish is atragantarse.
The verb atragantarse is used specifically when someone is unable to breathe because an object or food has obstructed their windpipe. If you want to refer to a type of hold in wrestling, you might use the noun estrangulamiento. Additionally, if you are talking about a control on a carburetor, you can use estrangulador, cebador or ahogador.
Meaning: be unable to breathe because of obstruction of the windpipe (verb)
Which one should you use?
Use atragantarse when the choking is caused by an object or food in the throat. If the choking or suffocation is caused by a lack of oxygen or environmental factors, use asfixiarse.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
atragantarse is a reflexive verb, so you must use reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) to indicate who is choking. To specify what a person choked on, use the preposition con.
How do you pronounce it?
/atɾaɡantaɾse/
Did you know?
- While atragantarse refers to a physical obstruction, the word ahogarse can mean both 'to drown' and 'to choke' depending on the context.
- Unlike English, where 'choke' can mean failing under pressure (like a sports team), Spanish speakers would use bloquearse or colapsar instead of atragantarse.
- In a mechanical context, like a car engine, you might use the word ahogador to describe a choke, which literally translates to 'drowner'.
Examples in context
- Ella estaba tan asustada que empezó a asfixiarse.She was so scared that she started to choke.
- ¡No te rías tanto o te vas a atragantar con tu comida!Don't laugh so much or you'll choke on your food!
- Por favor, me estoy asfixiando, ¡ayuda!Please, I'm choking, help!
- Siempre me atraganto cuando como demasiado rápido.I always choke when I eat too fast.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry atragantarse, 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.
