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atrapar

to catch

verb ah-trah-PAHR Rare
Body & Health Movement

Also means

to trap

Usage Note

Atrapar implies catching something that is moving or trying to escape — a ball, an animal, or a criminal. It is slightly more colloquial than capturar and more physical than coger (which in Latin America can carry a vulgar register). The past participle atrapado/a functions as an adjective meaning 'trapped' or 'stuck.'

Examples

"El gato atrapó al ratón."

Natural Translation

The cat caught the mouse.

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