desenredar
/desenreˈdaɾ/
The English phrase 'untangle' is translated into Spanish as desenredar. Wiktionary also lists desenmarañar.
Meaning: to remove tangles or knots (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| desenredar | /desenreˈdaɾ/ |
| desenmarañar | /desemmaɾaˈɲaɾ/ |
Both desenredar and desenmarañar mean to remove tangles or knots. Use desenmarañar when describing more complex, messy or metaphorical tangles, such as a thick thicket or a complicated situation.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb desenredar is composed of the prefix des-, which indicates undoing or reversing an action and enredar, which means to tangle or entangle.
Which one should you use?
While desenredar is the most common way to say untangle, desenmarañar is used for more complex or messy tangles, including figurative ones like untangling a difficult problem.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle desenredado can be used as an adjective to describe something that has been untangled.
How do you pronounce it?
/desenreˈdaɾ/
Did you know?
- The root of desenredar, the word red, means 'net' in Spanish. To untangle something is literally to 'un-net' it.
- The word enredar, the opposite of desenredar, is also used colloquially in some regions to mean 'to confuse' or 'to trick' someone into a mistake.
- While desenredar is common, desenmarañar is often used in legal or detective contexts to describe the act of solving a complex mystery or 'untangling' a crime.
Examples in context
- Por favor, desenrede esos cablesPlease untangle those cables
- Necesito que desenmarañe este hiloI need you to untangle this thread
- Voy a desenredar mi cabelloI'm going to untangle my hair
- Vamos a arreglar todos estos cablesLet's untangle all these cables
- Por favor, desenreda el hilo antes de tejerPlease untangle the yarn before knitting
- Necesito desenmarañar mi cabello antes de salirI need to untangle my hair before going out
- Me puse a arreglar los cables del televisorI started untangling the TV cables
- Necesito desenredar mi cabello.I need to untangle my hair.
- Tengo que desenredar mis auriculares.I have to untangle my headphones.
- ¿Puedes desenredar este nudo?Can you untangle this knot?
- Ella intenta desenredar el pelo de la muñeca.She tries to untangle the doll's hair.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are in the living room looking at a box of Christmas lights.
- JavierEstas luces están muy enredadas.These lights are very tangled.
- LucíaYo voy a desenredar los cables.I am going to untangle the cables.
- JavierGracias, Lucía, es un trabajo difícil.Thanks, Lucía, it is a difficult job.
- LucíaNo te preocupes, Javier, lo haré rápido.Don't worry, Javier, I will do it quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “untangle” translations and entries desenredar, desenmarañar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
