castigar
/kastiˈɡaɾ/
The English verb 'punish' is translated into Spanish as castigar. Wiktionary also lists punir and empurar.
Meaning: to cause to suffer for crime or misconduct (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| castigar | /kastiˈɡaɾ/ |
| punir | /puˈniɾ/ |
| empurar | /empuɾaɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
| escarmentar | /eskaɾmenˈtaɾ/ |
The verb is used to cause someone to suffer for a crime or misconduct. The noun form of the verb is castigo, which means 'punishment'.
Which one should you use?
castigar is the most common and versatile verb for 'to punish', suitable for contexts ranging from parenting to legal sentences. In contrast, punir is a more formal or legalistic term. The word escarmentar is used idiomatically when the focus is specifically on a person learning a lesson through a negative experience or punishment.
How does it change in a sentence?
When the object of the verb castigar is a person, you must use the personal 'a' before the object, such as in castigar a mi hijo (to punish my son).
How do you pronounce it?
/kastiˈɡaɾ/
Did you know?
- The word castigar is often used in Spanish to mean 'to overwork' or 'to wear down' a physical object, such as a car engine or a pair of shoes.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, castigar can be used as a slang term for hitting a musical instrument with great intensity or skill.
- The Latin root of punir actually connects it to the Greek word poinḗ, which refers to a penalty or a fine. This reveals that the concept of 'punishing' is deeply rooted in the idea of settling a debt.
Examples in context
- No voy a castigarles.I am not going to punish them.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of castigar.Tatoeba #9017792 by Shishir, translation #8404055 by Ergulis
- Si mientes, te castigaré.If you lie, I'll punish you.This sentence shows how to use castigar in a conditional statement.Tatoeba #9926681 by Shishir, translation #9926680 by DJ_Saidez
- ¿Por qué querríamos castigarte?Why would we want to punish you?This sentence demonstrates how to use castigar in a question.Tatoeba #2015458 by marcelostockle, translation #2014783 by CK
- El juez decidió castigar al delincuente con una pena de cárcel.The judge decided to punish the criminal with a prison sentence.
- El país decidió sancionar a las empresas que no cumplen con las normas ambientales.The country decided to punish companies that do not comply with environmental regulations.
- El gobierno decidió penalizar el consumo excesivo de energía.The government decided to punish excessive energy consumption.
- Si llego tarde, mi mamá me va a castigar sin salir este fin de semana.If I arrive late, my mom is going to punish me by not allowing me to go out this weekend.
- Si no haces tu tarea, el profesor te va a poner un castigo.If you don't do your homework, the teacher is going to punish you.
- José está enojado con su hermano y quiere cargarle la mano por arruinar su libro.José is mad at his brother and wants to punish him for ruining his book.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A teacher and a father are discussing a student's behavior at school.
- ElenaDebemos castigar este mal comportamiento.We must punish this bad behavior.
- AlejandroEstoy de acuerdo con usted, profesora.I agree with you, teacher.
- ElenaÉl necesita entender sus errores.He needs to understand his mistakes.
- AlejandroHaré lo posible por corregirlo.I will do my best to correct him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “punish” translations and entries castigar, punir, escarmentar, 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 castigar, escarmentar, punir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
