What does apretar in Spanish mean?
What is the meaning of the word apretar in Spanish? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use apretar in Spanish.
The word apretar in Spanish means squeeze, be too tight, tighten, put pressure on, be squashed together, be squeezed together, make uncomfortable, push buttons, step on the gas, heat be oppressive, heat be stifling, pull the trigger, squeeze the trigger, shake 's hand, put the screws on, tighten up on, tighten the screws on, put pressure on, put your nose to the grindstone, clench your teeth, grit your teeth, squeeze your eyes shut, put the screws on. To learn more, please see the details below.
Meaning of the word apretar
squeezeverbo transitivo (coger con fuerza) (transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.") Tomó mi mano entre las suyas y la apretó. He took my hand in his and squeezed it. |
be too tightverbo transitivo (ropa, calzado: oprimir) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Ha engordado y la cintura de la falda le aprieta. She's gained weight, so the waistband of her skirt is now too tight. |
tightenverbo transitivo (ajustar, presionar) (transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.") Aprieta el tornillo de la silla que la pata está floja. Tighten the screw in the chair, the leg is loose. |
put pressure onverbo transitivo (figurado (presionar a alguien) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") La aprietas demasiado y le generas demasiada tensión. You put too much pressure on her, and you make her tense. |
be squashed together, be squeezed togetherverbo pronominal (apiñarse, amontonarse) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") La gente se apretaba en el centro comercial el último día de la liquidación de verano. Everyone was squashed (or: squeezed) together in the shopping centre on the last day of the summer sales. |
make uncomfortablelocución verbal (no estar a gusto) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") |
push buttonslocución verbal (pulsar) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Tiene un trabajo muy aburrido y lo único que hace es apretar botones en una máquina. She has a really boring job and all she does is push buttons on a machine. |
step on the gasexpresión (ir más deprisa) (colloquial) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") El ladrón apretó el acelerador y perdió de vista al policía. The thief stepped on the gas and gave the police the slip. |
heat be oppressive, heat be stiflinglocución verbal (hacer un calor intenso) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. This heat is oppressive. |
pull the trigger, squeeze the triggerverbo transitivo (disparar un arma) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Apretó el gatillo sin darse cuenta y se disparó en el pie. He pulled the trigger (or: squeezed the trigger) without realising and shot himself in the foot. |
shake 's handlocución verbal (saludar dando la mano) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Don Joaquín me apretó la mano y salió de la oficina. |
put the screws onlocución verbal (presionar, amedrentar) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") El prisionero confesará en cuanto le aprieten las clavijas. |
tighten up onlocución verbal (amenazar) (UK) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") |
tighten the screws onlocución verbal (atornillar) (colloquial) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Hay que apretar las tuercas de esa rueda o se soltará. You have to tighten the screws of that wheel or it will fall off. |
put pressure onlocución verbal (figurado (amenazar) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Le echó la bronca y le apretó las tuercas, no tendrá más remedio que hacer lo que le dicen. He gave her a hard time and put pressure on her; now she has no choice but to do what they tell her. |
put your nose to the grindstonelocución verbal (figurado (estudiar en firme) (figurative) (expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.") Estuve apretando los codos toda la noche, espero aprobar el examen. I was putting my nose to the grindstone all night, so I hope to pass the exam. |
clench your teethlocución verbal (bruxismo) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Tiene que usar un protector cuando duerme porque aprieta los dientes. He has to use a retainer when he sleeps because he clenches his teeth. |
grit your teethlocución verbal (figurado (resistir, aguantar) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") No todo es fácil en la vida, a veces debes apretar los dientes y seguir. Not everything is easy in life, sometimes you have to grit your teeth and carry on with it. |
squeeze your eyes shutlocución verbal (cerrar los ojos con fuerza) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") El niño creyó haber visto un fantasma y apretó los párpados para no ver más. The boy thought he had seen a ghost and squeezed his eyes shut so he couldn't see anymore. |
put the screws on(figurado, coloquial (tener una actitud severa) (colloquial) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Rafael solo comenzó a hacer bien su trabajo cuando la supervisora le apretó los tornillos. Rafael only started to knuckle down when the supervisor put the screws on him. |
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Spanish (español), also known as Castilla, is a language of the Iberian-Romance group of the Romance languages, and the 4th most common language in the world according to Some sources, while others list it as a 2nd or 3rd most common language. It is the mother tongue of about 352 million people, and is spoken by 417 million people when adding its speakers as a language. sub (estimated in 1999). Spanish and Portuguese have very similar grammar and vocabulary; The number of similar vocabulary of these two languages is up to 89%. Spanish is the primary language of 20 countries around the world. It is estimated that the total number of speakers of Spanish is between 470 and 500 million, making it the second most widely spoken language in the world by number of native speakers.