atentar

to attack

verb ah-ten-TAHR Rare

Origin: From Latin attentare 'to attempt, to attack'.

Also means

to make an attempt on

Usage Note

Atentar almost always appears in the construction atentar contra + something: atentar contra la vida de alguien (to make an attempt on someone's life), atentar contra la paz (to threaten the peace). Unlike atacar (to attack physically), atentar carries a legal or political weight and is the standard word in news reports about assassination attempts or terrorist acts.

Examples

"El grupo intentó atentar contra el gobierno."

Natural Translation

The group attempted to attack the government.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

How to Say "You" in Spanish: Tú, Usted, Vos & Vosotros

Spanish has five words for "you": tú, usted, vos, vosotros, and ustedes. Learn which to use by who you're talking to and where — plus the verb endings.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Diminutives: What -ito and -ita Really Mean

Spanish diminutives rarely mean 'little.' Learn what -ito and -ita really signal — warmth, softening, downplaying — plus the -cito and -ecito formation rules.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Subjunctive Explained Simply for Beginners

The Spanish subjunctive is a mood, not a tense — use it after a WEIRDO trigger plus que. Learn the one rule, the yo-form recipe, and the lines you already say.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Filler Words: 15 Ways to Sound Natural

Spanish filler words like pues, o sea, and vale make you sound natural, not robotic. Learn 15 muletillas sorted by job, by region, and when not to use them.

June 9, 2026 6 min read