Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| capitular | /kapituˈlaɾ/ |
| claudicar | /klaudiˈkaɾ/ |
The English verb 'to surrender' can be translated in several ways depending on whether you are describing a military action, a figurative yielding or a common reflexive action. While capitular and claudicar are specific verbs, the most common way to say 'to surrender' in everyday Spanish is the reflexive verb rendirse. If you need a noun to describe the act of surrendering, use rendición, which is standard for military or competitive contexts. Another noun meaning an act of surrendering is claudicación.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the context: capitular is typically used in formal, legal or military contexts, often implying surrendering under specific terms or conditions. In contrast, claudicar is often used figuratively to describe yielding to pressure, temptation or an argument rather than a physical military surrender. For everyday situations, the reflexive verb rendirse is the most frequent choice.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In everyday speech, 'to surrender' is most commonly expressed using the reflexive form rendirse.
How do you pronounce it?
/kapituˈlaɾ/
Did you know?
- The word capitular comes from the word capítulo, meaning 'chapter'. This refers to the 'chapters' of a treaty that were negotiated and signed during a military surrender.
- The verb claudicar shares a root with the Latin word for 'limping'. Figuratively, it suggests a failure of will or a stumble in one's resolve.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, claudicar is used in medical contexts to describe 'claudication', where leg muscles fail during exercise.
Examples in context
- Me rindoI surrender
- Se rindióHe/she surrendered
- Voy a tirar la toallaI'm going to surrender
- Me doy por vencida con este problemaI surrender to this problem
- Es hora de rendirse, no podemos ganar esta batalla.It's time to surrender, we can't win this battle.
- Después de varios intentos, Luis decidió tirar la toalla en el juego de ajedrez.After several attempts, Luis decided to throw in the towel in the game of chess.
- Decidí darme por vencida con mi objetivo de correr un maratón este año.I decided to give up on my goal of running a marathon this year.
- Los soldados no quisieron capitular.The soldiers did not want to surrender.
- Es mejor capitular antes de perder todo.It is better to surrender before losing everything.
- No voy a capitular ante sus exigencias.I am not going to surrender to their demands.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are discussing a historical battle.
- ElenaEl general no quiso capitular.The general did not want to surrender.
- JavierPero no tenían más suministros.But they had no more supplies.
- ElenaEs cierto, debió capitular pronto.That is true, he should have surrendered soon.
- JavierFue una decisión muy difícil.It was a very difficult decision.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “surrender” translations and entries capitular, claudicar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
