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"Arañar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to scratch", and "rascarse" is a pronominal verb which is also often translated as "to scratch". Learn more about the difference between "arañar" and "rascarse" below.
arañar(
ah
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rah
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nyahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to graze)
a. to scratch
La valla metálica me arañó el brazo y tuve que ponerme la antitetánica.The metal fence scratched my arm and I had to get an anti-tetanus injection.
3. (colloquial) (figurative) (to struggle to obtain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. to scrape together (money)
Arañamos todo el dinero que podemos para llegar a fin de mes.We scrape together all the money we can to make it to the end of the month.
b. to scrape (grade, pass, tie)
Por suerte, Juanita logró arañar un 4 en el examen.Luckily, Juanita managed to scrape a 4 in the exam.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to scrape by (financially)
Nunca le pedía plata a su marido. Llevaba la casa arañando con lo que le daba.She never asked her husband for money. She ran the house by scraping by on what he gave her.
b. to scrape through (in an exam)
Había estudiado muy poco y aprobó arañando.She hadn't studied very much at all and just scraped through.
arañarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
5. (to graze)
a. to scratch
Sergio se había arañado la mejilla así que le puse una curita.Sergio had scratched his cheek so I put a Band-Aid on it.
rascarse(
rrahs
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kahr
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seh
)A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
b. to scratch oneself
Deja de rascarte o te vas a dejar una marca.Stop scratching yourself or you'll leave a mark.
2. (colloquial) (to become drunk) (Latin America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
a. to get drunk
Me rasqué en mi fiesta de cumpleaños con solo un par de cervezas.I got drunk at my birthday party with just a couple of beers.
3. (colloquial) (to idle) (Southern Cone)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to laze around
Se rasca todo el día en vez de buscar trabajo.He lazes around all day instead of looking for a job.
rascar
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to scratch
¿Me puedes rascar la espalda, por favor? Me pica mucho.Can you scratch my back, please? It's very itchy.
5. (to clean)
a. to scrape
Antes de empapelar hay que rascar las paredes para quitarles la pintura.Before papering you have to scrape the walls to remove the paint.
b. to scrape off
Ha nevado, así que seguramente tendremos que rascar el hielo del parabrisas.It has snowed; so we'll probably have to scrape off the ice from the windshield.
c. to scrub
Rasqué y rasqué la sartén, pero no hubo forma de quitarle toda esa grasa.I kept scrubbing the frying pan, but it was impossible to remove all that grease.
a. to scrape away at
Más que tocar la guitarra, lo que hace es rascarla.Rather than playing the guitar, he scrapes away at it.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to be rough
No me gusta esta toalla porque rasca mucho.I don't like this towel because it's very rough.
8. (colloquial) (to prickle) (Colombia)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Colombia
a. to itch
Me rasca el brazo, como si me hubiera picado algún bicho.My arm itches, as if some bug had bitten me.
