gatear
/ɡateˈaɾ/
To crawl in Spanish is gatear.
gatear is the most common way to describe the developmental milestone of a baby crawling. Other phrases may be more specific to the type of movement: andar a gatas means to go on all fours, while desplazarse lentamente is used to describe the act of moving slowly. If you want to say to creep, you can use reptar.
Meaning: to move over an area on hands and knees (verb)
Which one should you use?
While gatear specifically implies moving on hands and knees, arrastrarse is used for crawling by dragging the body along the ground (like a snake or a person with injured limbs). The term reptar can mean to creep.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gerund form of gatear is gateando.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡateˈaɾ/
Did you know?
- The verb gatear is etymologically linked to the word gato, meaning 'cat'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the phrase andar a gatas can be used colloquially to describe someone who is struggling or moving in a clumsy, humbled manner.
- While gatear describes a baby on hands and knees, reptar is used for animals that 'creep' or 'slither'. This is why the class of reptiles is called reptiles in Spanish.
Examples in context
- El bebé comenzó a gatear.The baby began to crawl.This sentence shows the use of gatear regarding a baby.Tatoeba #1450998 by marcelostockle, translation #45867 by CK
- Carmen ya ha aprendido a gatear.Carmen has already learned to crawl.This sentence shows the use of gatear regarding a person who has learned the skill.Tatoeba #9412262 by ignacio, translation #9418519 by shekitten
- Nuestro hijo todavía no sabe ni gatear.Our kid can't even crawl yet.This sentence shows the use of gatear in a negative context regarding a child's ability.Tatoeba #6760796 by swyter, translation #4846727 by CK
- El bebé se arrastró por el suelo de la habitación.The baby crawled on the room's floor.
- El niño aprendió a gatear en el parque.The child learned to crawl in the park.
- Me arrastré hasta la cocina para no hacer ruido.I crawled to the kitchen to avoid making noise.
- El bebé comenzó a gatear por toda la casa.The baby started crawling all over the house.
- Me cansa tanto reptar en el lodo durante las competencias de obstáculos.Crawling in the mud during obstacle races tires me so much.
- El niño aprendió a gatear hoy en la mañana.The child learned to crawl this morning.
- Las hormigas se arrastraban por la cocina en busca de migas.The ants were crawling in the kitchen searching for crumbs.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are watching a small child play on the floor.
- Sofía¡Mira! El niño ya quiere gatear.Look! The boy already wants to crawl.
- AlejandroEs increíble lo rápido que crece.It is incredible how fast he grows.
- SofíaAlejandro, ¿viste cómo gatear le resulta fácil?Alejandro, did you see how easy crawling is for him?
- AlejandroSí, parece que es un experto.Yes, he seems like an expert.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry gatear, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gatear, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
