ahogar

to drown

verb ah-oh-GAHR Rare

Also means

to suffocate

Usage Note

Ahogar covers both drowning in water and any suffocating or stifling sensation (ahogar las llamas — to smother the flames; ahogarse de calor — to be stifled by heat). The reflexive ahogarse means to choke or drown oneself. Note the silent h: pronunciation begins ah-oh-.

Examples

"El niño empezó a ahogarse en la piscina."

Natural Translation

The child began to drown in the pool.

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