Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| apuñalar | /apuɲaˈlaɾ/ |
| acuchillar | /akut͡ʃiˈʝaɾ/ |
| ennavajar | /ennabaˈxaɾ/ |
| enclavar | /enklaˈbaɾ/ |
| asestar | /asesˈtaɾ/ |
| estoquear | /estokeˈaɾ/ |
The primary way to express the act of piercing or wounding someone with a pointed object is apuñalar. This verb can be used literally to describe physical violence or metaphorically in the phrase apuñalar por la espalda to describe a betrayal, which functions the same way as the English idiom 'to stab in the back'. The noun puñalada refers to both the physical act of stabbing and the resulting wound. To describe the act of cutting or slashing specifically, use acuchillar.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb apuñalar is derived from the noun puñal, which means dagger.
Which one should you use?
While apuñalar implies a piercing motion, acuchillar implies a slashing or cutting motion with a knife. The noun cuchillada refers to a strike or wound made by a knife, often emphasizing a slicing motion, whereas puñalada is the standard term for a stab.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/apuɲaˈlaɾ/
Did you know?
- The word puñal for 'dagger' shares a common linguistic ancestor with the English word 'pugnacious', as both derive from roots meaning 'to fight' or 'fist'.
- The word estoquear refers to a very specific type of stabbing used in bullfighting to kill the animal with a sword.
- While apuñalar is the standard term for stabbing, ennavajar specifically implies the use of a navaja, which is a traditional folding pocket knife common in Spain.
Examples in context
- ¡Ayuda! Me quieren apuñalar.Help! They're going to stab me!This sentence is useful for expressing a cry for help against an immediate threat of being stabbed with apuñalar.Tatoeba #997125 by hayastan, translation #1343437 by Chrikaru
- Él trató de apuñalarme por la espalda.He tried to stab me in the back.This sentence is useful for describing an attempt to stab someone in the back with apuñalar.Tatoeba #4986892 by DarkHollow, translation #3539510 by Hybrid
- Yanni nunca apuñalaría a Skura en la espalda.Yanni would never stab Skura in the back.This sentence is useful for describing a metaphorical betrayal using apuñalar.Tatoeba #10025297 by manufrutos, translation #10024152 by Amastan
- El criminal apuñaló a su víctimaThe criminal stabbed his victim
- El agresor asestó una puñalada al oponenteThe attacker delivered a stab to his opponent
- El peleador infligió una herida de arma blanca a su oponenteThe fighter inflicted a stab wound on his opponent
- El delincuente clavó el cuchillo en el corazón de su víctimaThe criminal stabbed the knife into his victim's heart
- ¡No te metas con él, te puede clavar un cuchillo!Don't mess with him, he can stab you with a knife!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are watching a crime documentary on TV.
- LucíaEl criminal intentó apuñalar a la víctima.The criminal tried to stab the victim.
- DanielFue un ataque muy violento.It was a very violent attack.
- LucíaDaniel, ¿viste qué rápido fue?Daniel, did you see how fast it was?
- DanielSí, fue impresionante y aterrador.Yes, it was impressive and terrifying.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stab” translations and entries apuñalar, acuchillar, ennavajar, enclavar, asestar, estoquear, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
